Danny Phantom II: Day of Pariah
by 2wingo
Summary: Danny has defeated Vlad and his minions, but war is coming. The Ghost Zone ripples with disturbance, and Pariah Dark, the infamous Ghost King, prepares the world for his return. Danny must face the trials ahead, or be consumed in the coming Reign Storm.
1. Prologue

_**(A/N: Here is it is: The eagerly-awaited sequel to "Danny Phantom: The Movie." The title is derived from an album by a defunct Swedish metal band called Dark Opera. The lyrics of many of the songs are spookily applicable to the Ghost King. Please Read and Review.)**_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Danny Phantom, nor do I own any of the actors who appear in this film.

* * *

**Cast to Appear in the Film**

On the side of the Angels:

1.) **Daniel "Danny Phantom" Fenton -** A teenage boy with superhuman powers, Danny's exploits as Danny Phantom have become public, though he is considered by the majority of Amity Park citizens to be a vigilante at best and a self-hating monster at worst. Played by Frankie Muñiz, voice dubbed by Caleb Kane in the event that he sings (unlikely).

2.) **Samantha "Sam" Manson -** One of Danny's best friends and his girlfriend, Sam and Danny now connect on almost all levels, though her parents are still fervently opposed to the relationship and even talk about setting her up with the son of a friend of theirs. Sam's tough, punk-rocker exterior masks a loving, sensitive artist, and she is secretly an accomplished poet, painter, and singer. Played by Katie Leung, voice dubbed by Lea Salonga in the event that she sings (again, unlikely).

3.) **Tucker Foley -** Danny's other best friend, Tucker is a computer genius and a highly skilled hacker, his abilities often serving Danny's cause in small but useful ways. Recently, he has attempted to start a relationship with Valerie Gray, another girl at their school. Played by Daniel Curtis Lee.

4.) **Jack & Maddie Fenton -** Danny's parents, these two scientists have been devoted to ghost-hunting for almost 20 years. Designing and building many advanced weapons and technology, they have some 37 U.S. patents to date (and yet they're still in the dark about their son's "extracurricular activities"). Played by John Goodman and Lauren Graham, respectively.

5.) **Jasmine "Jazz" Fenton -** Danny's older sister by two years, Jazz is a brainy know-it-all who, despite her good intentions and genuine concern for her brother's welfare, comes across as overbearing and nosy. Recently, she has noticed her brother's improved grades at school, and while proud of him, she is also becoming suspicious . . . Played by Laura Prepon.

6.) **Valerie Gray -** A female student at Casper High, she is an unofficial friend to Danny, Tucker, and Sam. Her father, Damien Gray, works for the FBI's paranormal control section, hence her slight distrust of ghosts. Played by Zoë Saldaña.

7.) **The Observants -** Strange, ghostly beings who dwell in the Ghost Zone, this unusual trio is bound never to intervene in the affairs of others except when ordered to by their mysterious master. Played by Peter Fonda, James Avery, and Mark Collie, respectively.

8.) **Walker -** A hard nosed, tough-as-nails ex-pugilist, Walker is the warden in the Ghost Zone prison. His drive for order, both in his prison and the Ghost Zone in general, puts him at odds with the forces of Pariah Dark, prompting him to turn his prisoners into an army to fight for the cause of freedom. Walker possesses the rare ability to create a huge illusion of himself. The only other ghost known to possess this power is the Ghost King himself. Played by Clint Eastwood.

9.) **Wulf -** A burly and seemingly gruff man/wolf hybrid, Wulf is a surprisingly sensitive and articulate person, valuing his freedom and his friends above all else. Wulf has special powers, even by ghost standards: Utilizing his very long, sharp green claws, he can "tear" natural portals between the Ghost Zone and the human dimension into the space around him. He is very easy to spot in a crowd, as he is almost seven feet tall, wears an orange hoodie with sleeves much too short for his thick arms (and a pair of matching sweat pants that are too short for his legs), and is covered with thick, coarse fur all over his body. Voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.

On the side of the Devils:

10.) **Freakshow -** A thin, gaunt, and sinister man who possibly has anemia, Frederic Isak Showenhower was the son of an immigrant from Eastern Europe who ran a small circus. Taking over for his father in his late 20's, Frederic found that his small set-up had to struggle to compete with much larger troupes, and he began to search for new attractions to keep his head above water. Eventually, he discovered a crystal orb that enabled him to communicate with the souls of deceased humans, enabling him to bring ghosts to the human plane. After several years of using real ghosts in his performances, his mind was ensnared by the disembodied soul of Pariah Dark. Played by Johnny Depp.

11.) **Skulker -** Thought to have killed himself in lieu of losing to Danny in battle, Skulker was given new, more powerful armor by Pariah Dark and sent back, renewed and invigorated, to fight on his behalf. Also now a general in the Ghost King's army. Voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.

12.) **Desiree Spectra -** (An amalgam of the characters Desiree and Penelope Spectra) A teacher at Casper High, Desiree Spectra teaches Economics and Political History. She secretly is a minion of the Ghost King, who uses her words to subtly influence people on a subconscious level. Lately, she has taken a shine to her student, Danny Fenton, perhaps in a more than professional way . . . Played by Patricia Velásquez.

13.) **Lydia -** A lovely female ghost with tattoos all over her body and spiky hair, Lydia is Freakshow's bodyguard, right-hand woman, and lover. She is the only ghost that he does not have to magically compel to serve him. Her typical mode of dress is thigh-high boots, a black leather corset, fishnet gloves and an enveloping cloak. Played by Hilary Duff.

14.) **Ember McLain -** A classical pianist who died without ever making it big, Ember McLain was a young girl whose father died in a fire (the source of her name, according to her mother). She was taught to play the guitar in the afterlife by Jimi Hendrix's ghost. Not long after, she joined the Ghost King's cause after he promised her the fame and glory that she had been denied in life as his personal minstrel. In addition to her formidable skill at playing musical instruments, she is also an incredible vocalist who can alter the pitch of her voice and change the cadence of her words at will, enabling her to effortless alter her voice. Played by Amy Lee, dubbed for one song by Robin Kimissel.

15.) **Bertrand -** A midget ghost, Bertrand is also a low-level shape-shifter and Spectra's manservant. Utterly loyal to Spectra and a sadist, Bertrand relishes doing her dirty work. Played by Phil Fondacaro.

16.) **The Fright Knight -** The spirit of Halloween, the Fright Knight was a druid priest who was sacrificed against his will on the night of the first Halloween. He met Pariah Dark in the Ghost Zone and ever after was his most powerful and loyal servant. He rides a huge and terrible beast, a kind of horse/bat/lizard hybrid that he refers to as Hell Beast. His enchanted broadsword is capable of sending anyone he cuts with it into a dimension where they are tortured endlessly by manifestations of their own worst fears. Played by Karl Urban.

17.) **Pariah Dark -** The self-proclaimed king of all ghosts, Pariah was born in Pre-Christian Scandinavia on a Viking ship in a typhoon. All the creatures of the forest night were present at the dock when he was first brought ashore. Growing up to be an extremely fierce warrior, he raised a huge army and cut a bloody swath across Europe. Dying in old age as the king of a vast empire, Pariah refused to cross over to his final resting place because his craving for battle and conquest was stronger than the call of the grave. In the Ghost Zone, Pariah discovered two magical objects that granted him unequaled power: The Crown of Fire, an imperial crown surrounded by fire that could never go out, and the Ring of Rage, a black diamond set in greenish metal with a silver skull emblem on it. When wearing both, he was all but invincible. Eventually, the order of powerful, ancient ghosts known as The Amaranthine rose up and trapped the Ghost King within an ancient construct known as the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep, keeping him in a state of perpetual suspended animation deep within his fortress. A prophecy was made that he would eventually return, but be opposed by a "Silver Centurion." The Crown of Fire, the Ring of Rage, and the Cosmic Skeleton Key (the device used to seal the Sarcophagus) were all hidden on Earth in secret locations to prevent the Ghost King's return for as long as possible. Played by Dominic Purcell, voiced dubbed by Hugo Weaving (_à la_ Megatron) when transformed by items of power.

Other Characters:

18.) **Dash Baxter -** Quarterback, football star, and bully at Casper High, Dash's reputation took a small hit following his ill-fated _tête-à-tête_ with Danny, causing his trophy girlfriend, Paulina, to break up with him. While Dash is not smart in the traditional sense, he is a surprisingly adept tactician in relation to sport strategy. Played by Danny Masterson.

19.) **Kwan -** Dash's best friend and general sycophant, Kwan is the Offensive guard of the Casper High Ravens' football team. He used to date Valerie, but she dumped him because he considered his football career more important than her. In spite of his flaws, however, Kwan has no particular interest in bullying without Dash, who is naturally predatory, to prod him into doing so. Played by Wilmer Valderrama.

20.) **Paulina Sánchez -** The most popular girl at Casper High, Paulina is a teenage girl of French, Mexican, and Native American stock. Her beauty and sex appeal makes her the wet dream of almost every guy at the school, leaving her with a vast number of servile followers to obey her every whim. Paulina has been spoiled by her father ever since her mother died when she was very young, and as a result, she is very shallow, not caring much about anything but her social status. In spite of this, however, she does have a few friends that she genuinely cares about, namely Starr and Valerie. Played by Megan Fox.

21.) **Starr -** Paulina's best friend, Starr is a stereotypical American teenage girl, somewhat spoiled and more concerned with boys and her social life than academics. She is a petite blond bombshell, almost as popular as Paulina. She is sometimes referred to as Paulina's "satellite" behind her back. Played by Kaley Cuoco.

* * *

_**(A/N: Any and all ideas, comments, and constructive criticism accepted. I prefer NOT to get flames, but if you absolutely must write one, than just do so and get it over with. Please Review.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	2. Pieces on the Board

_**(A/N: Sorry that I just up and deleted this fic without warning, but frankly, the pressure of writing two DP movie-fics in a row so close to each other was more than I could take, so I took it off and gave myself some downtime. Please go back and review the prologue first, because I made a few changes. Please R & R.)**_

* * *

Danny Fenton was nervous. He had brought his girlfriend, Sam Manson, to one of the finest restaurants in Amity Park. It was their first anniversary, and Danny was planning to give her a very special gift: a promise ring. There were eight types of promise rings, each signifying a different promise, and Danny had thought long and hard about which type to give her. Finally, he had decided. _Okay Fenton,_ thought Danny to himself, _It's time. Just give Sam the ring, and trust that she'll understand what it means for us._

"Danny," said Sam softly, "you've been very quiet this evening. Is there something on your mind?" Danny looked at Sam and took a minute to reply. She was so damn gorgeous, in her black sheath dress, high-heeled shoes, and white evening gloves.

Finally, he replied, "Sam, I actually DO have something on my mind." He took her hands in his as he said, "Sam, we've been dating for a year, now . . ." But he was suddenly interrupted by a stream of blue gas coming out of his mouth.

"Go ahead, Danny," said Sam with a forlorn sigh, "The city needs you."

"Thanks, Sam," said Danny, obviously disappointed at the turn of events. He waited until nobody was looking, then went under the table, transformed into a ghost, and invisibly flew out.

Sam sighed again. Another date ruined by Danny having to go out and be a hero. It wasn't that Sam didn't like it, because she did like that her boyfriend was so determined to save the world, but she did wish that it didn't interfere with their time together, because Danny was pretty much her entire social life. With a wistful smile, Sam called to the waiter, "Check, please."

* * *

Danny flew through the city, following the vibrations in his head that would lead him to the ghost. _I swear,_ he thought angrily, _if this is the Box Ghost on another one of his impotent power trips, I'm going to rip out his lower intestine and strangle him with it!_ But when Danny got to the rooftop from which the disturbance originated, he found nothing. Looking around carefully, Danny found only a small statue, about the size of a G.I. Joe. The only unusual thing about was the crown upon the figure. It was almost identical to Aragorn's crown from The Return of the King, and seemed to be detachable. 

"Put down the statue," said a female voice behind him, "I won't ask twice." Danny turned to see a ghost with blue skin and black hair that seemed to be subtly on fire. She was dressed in a gothic fashion and, with her purple and black electric guitar slung over her shoulder, looked for all the world like a rock star.

Before Danny could reply, the ghost twisted a knob on her guitar and quickly played a chord. Waves of hot pink energy surged from her instrument and struck Danny, knocking him off the building. She bent down and removed the crown from the statue. Suddenly, a voice from behind her said, "I'm all out of fresh pick-up lines, so let's just jump straight to the kiss." Before Danny could charge up his ghost rays, she disappeared.

Danny went over to inspect the statue. "What could be so important about a dinky little crown?" he said to himself.

* * *

Meanwhile, just outside the city limits, a convoy of trucks drove toward an old abandoned lot, the perfect place to set up Circus Gothica in Amity Park. In the back of one of them, the ringmaster, Freakshow, sat in his specially converted room as he meditated in front of an obsidian orb. _What is thy bidding, my master?_ he said in his mind, channeling his thoughts into the crystal. 

Seemingly from nowhere, an answer came. _Ember has brought me the Crown of Fire,_ said the replying voice, _It will be your job to retrieve the Ring of Rage and the Cosmic Skeleton Key._

_But my lord,_ said Freakshow, _what of the Silver Centurion?_

The voice chuckled with disdain and said, _The prophecy states only that such a figure will appear to do battle with me. It never said who would win. When I wear the Crown of Fire and the Ring of Rage, I will be unstoppable._

The voice broke contact. Freakshow opened his eyes and turned toward the prone figure of his ghostly lover, Lydia, on his bed. "You are too tense," she said seductively, "Come, you need to relax." Smiling in reply, he happily obliged.

* * *

The next day at school, Danny sat in his Economics class, trying to pay attention but failing, more concerned with making up last night to Sam."Now class," said the teacher, Miss Spectra, "who can tell me what Game Theory is and how it relates to Economics?" 

Danny raised his hand and said, "Game Theory is a branch of applied mathematics that studies strategic interactions between economic agents. In strategic games, agents choose strategies that will maximize their payoff, given the strategies the other agents choose."

"Very good, Danny," she said. The bell rang. She gave them all their homework and dismissed the class, except for Danny.

"Yes, Miss Spectra?" he asked.

"I'm very impressed with your performance in my class lately," she said, "Tell me, what's brought on this sudden change?"

Danny shrugged and said, "I honestly don't know. Lately I've just felt like my brain's on fast-forward."

After he left, Spectra sat there, thinking. She remembered a piece of the prophecy of the Silver Centurion.

_The first sign of the Silver Centurion will be his intelligence. His thoughts will acquire speed where once they were slow._

"You think that the Fenton boy is the Silver Centurion?" asked a disembodied voice. Turning her head, Spectra saw the voice take the form of her personal assistant, Bertrand.

"No, no," she said with a chuckle, "It was just an amusing coincidence. The thought that Daniel Fenton could be the warrior destined to combat King Pariah is truly laughable."

* * *

In the Ghost Zone, in a section of the realm that functions as a penal colony, the ghost warden known only as Walker stood and observed while his prisoners trained for war. So focused was he that he didn't notice his second-in-command, Wulf, come up behind him until he whispered in Walker's ear, "_Ili estas kortusanta, Walker_." 

Turning, Walker replied, "Perhaps, Wulf, but they're all still raw. With time and training, they'll be a potent-enough force to almost rival the Ghost King's army."

"_Ni potenco ne la lukso de tempo_," said Wulf obdurately, crossing his massive arms. Walker just sighed and turned away. He hated it when Wulf was pessimistic.

"That," said Walker, finally, "is why I need you to go to the human world, find the Silver Centurion, and make sure that Pariah's minions don't get the Items of Power."

"_Jes, Sinjoro_," said Wulf. Unsheathing his ten foot-long claws, Wulf sliced at the air in front of him, tearing opening a portal to the human world.

"_Mi voli protokolo en dekdu horos_," said Wulf as he jumped into the portal.

* * *

_**(A/N: Any and all ideas, comments, and constructive criticism accepted. I prefer NOT to get flames, but if you absolutely must write one, than just do so and get it over with. Please Review.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	3. Misunderstandings

_**(A/N: I've been a little tied up lately, and ideas aren't coming to me as fast as they usually do, so you'll all have to wait a little longer between chapters. I'm honestly still hoping for more reviews on my two previous chapters. So, anyway, if you have any ideas for advancing the plot, I'm all ears because at this point, I'm just pulling stuff out of my ass. Please read and review.)**_

* * *

Danny staggered up to his room and flopped down on his bed, dog tired. Jazz walked by his door and said, "Well, how did it go yesterday?" Danny moaned pathetically and turned over, covering his head with a pillow.

Jazz walked in and sat down next to him. "I refuse to believe that it went that badly," she said, gently stroking his head.

"We were halfway through our anniversary date," said Danny from beneath the pillow, "and I bailed."

"Well," said Jazz, patronizingly, "it could be worse."

"Don't worry, it is," said Danny, "I didn't even have time to give her the ring." Jazz sucked in air through her front teeth in recognition of a big screw-up.

"What possessed you to run out on her?" asked Jazz.

Danny thought carefully before replying. He didn't want Jazz to know about his superheroing, and the ability to come up with satisfactory and confirmable explanations had been learned quickly. Finally, he said, "I love Sam so much. If I gave her that ring and she wasn't ready to accept it, I lose our relationship and our friendship. I didn't want to risk that, so I feigned stomach flu."

* * *

Meanwhile, standing on the rooftop of an Art Deco-style building, three men overlooked the city. The first one, a broad-shouldered black man, said, "I don't like this. We know who and where the Silver Centurion is AND we know where to find the other items of power. Why can we not just intervene now and make sure Pariah doesn't get them?"

The second one, a white gentleman in a long coat and carrying a black cane, replied, "The master has forbidden us to act. We are to only watch."

The third man, an olive-skinned man with a Southern accent and a guitar slung over his shoulder, said, "Of course, the master is well aware of our . . . somewhat loose definition of 'action.'"

"REALLY, Number 3," said Number 2 disgustedly, "we are the Observants. Our duty is to watch and record, never to act save only to preserve the integrity of reality."

"I think that the Master would agree," said Number 1, "that Pariah Dark's release would DEFINITELY constitute as a threat to reality's integrity."

"Even so," said Number 2, "You both know as well as I do that we are forbidden to act without specific orders from the Master." Number 2 stamped his cane, causing the three of them to disappear into the night.

* * *

Elsewhere in Amity Park, at the Museum of Natural History, Ember walked intangibly across the pressure-sensitive floor toward a life-size statue of Frederick Barbarossa. Materializing, she reached out to take the ring from its finger.

"_Halti prava tie, Ember_," said a deep voice behind her. She turned to see Wulf, big as life and twice as mean.

"_Bone_," replied Ember in Wulf's language, "_Walker decida al liberigi sia malgranda hundo, he_?"

"_Mi povas ne permesi vi al lasi kun tio rondo_," snarled Wulf, preparing to spring at her. Suddenly, an ectoplasmic energy blast seared the floor between Ember and Wulf, and both looked to see Danny, hovering in the air.

"Okay," he said, "This isn't my usual hangout, but I doubt that the janitor is out sick for the night."

"_Resti ekster de tio ci, knabo_," growled Wulf, "_Tio ci fari ne koncerni_ -" Wulf stopped when the full moon began to glow behind Danny, making him look even more unearthly than usual. Wulf suddenly remembered a part of the prophecy of the Silver Centurion:

_He will appear dressed in jet and silver, with Khonshu at his back and a king under the mountain at his front._

Wulf turned his head to see the position of the statue relative to Danny, and felt a fist connect solidly with his temple, causing him to black out.

"Now that you're little friend is down," said Danny to Ember, "let's dance." Ember swung her guitar like a battle-ax at Danny's head. Danny's combat training made such an amateur move look like it was in slow motion, and he ducked under it almost casually and knocked her across the room.

* * *

Half an hour later, Danny rested on a rooftop a few miles away from the museum. Unconscious to his right was Wulf. "Okay," said Danny to no one in particular, "How did it come to this?"

_Danny charged at Ember, who had dropped her guitar and was now fighting him hand-to-hand. Now that she had dropped the pretensions and was really fighting, she was fairly tough. "So," said Danny, going into his wiseass routine without half-trying, "what're you and your friend after? Money? Valuable artifacts? To be first in line for the brand-name slushies? Maybe you just wanted to see those cool Chinese coins?"_

"_Don't you ever shut up?!" snarled Ember, putting some distance between the two of them._

_Danny stroked his chin thoughtfully as though truly pondering the question before he said, "Not since 1996, but between you, me, and Watchdog over there, I think I have a nervous –" But Danny was silenced by a pink ectoplasmic fist slamming him against the wall. Before Danny could react, she grabbed the ring from the statue and flew away. _

"_Ugh," said Danny, getting up and rubbing his head, "I have to start paying better attention during this fights." Danny started to hear sirens outside, and a low-frequency humming associated with the FBI's ghost containment squad units. He turned to go, but looked back at the still-unconscious Wulf. Sighing, Danny said, "My bleeding heart is gonna be the death of me, one day."_

"Oh," said Danny, coming back to reality, "now I remember." Wulf let out a groan and started to stir. Danny took a few steps back in case he got belligerent.

"Hi," said Danny when Wulf opened his eyes, "Sorry about roughing you up back there. I though that you were with that woman." Wulf gave no indication that he understood.

"Do you speak English?" asked Danny. Wulf stared blankly.

"_Parlez-vous Français?_" asked Danny, again getting no response.

"_Você fala o Português? Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Nihongo ga dekimasuka? Vy govoritiye po Russki? Hangookah hashimnigka? Ba heeayoo kahng noy deeyahng Veeahdt?_" Danny tried every language he could speak, but to no avail. Wulf showed no signs of understanding him. Finally, Danny communicated in sign-language My name is Danny Phantom. Can you understand me? To Danny's surprise, the creature signed back Yes. My name Wulf. I can only speak Esperanto.

Who was that girl ghost, signed Danny, and what did she want? Wulf signed back, Her name is Ember. She is an agent of evil. It is not safe for us to talk here. Do you know of a place where we may speak undisturbed?

* * *

At the headquarters of Circus Gothica, Freakshow was making an emergency commune with King Pariah. _My lord,_ said Freakshow, _There is a new element in the plan. A ghost who calls himself Danny Phantom attempted to interfere with Ember's acquisition of the Ring of Rage._

_And he succeeded,_ replied Pariah, _Ember did not bring me the real ring. Its location is hidden from me._

_But my lord,_ thought Freakshow, _I thought that you could sense them anywhere._

_As did I, _said Pariah, _But the harder I concentrate, the farther the Ring of Rage and the Key are from my perceptions. There is something blocking my power, presences that I have not felt in thousands of years. Were I not confined to this damnable sarcophagus, I would I seek my enchanted weapons on my own. I will, for the time being, give you command of all my agents, so that the instruments of my freedom may be found._

_Your wish is my command,_ said Freakshow, _I will not disappoint you._

Pariah's final communication was, _You had better not._

* * *

_**(A/N: I need ideas people, so fire away with any you got! Please review.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	4. Allies and Enemies

_**(A/N: Sorry to have not updated sooner, but I've been sick the past few days and I haven't had a single idea. Fortunately, my good friend hermie-the-frog gave me one last chapter, so prepare for a few side-plots while I hash out the larger details. And, playing the role of Damien Grey, George Lopez! Please R & R.)**_

* * *

Desiree Spectra sat in her house, wearing a black silk kimono and daintily sipping from a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of her neck began to stand on end as a faint smell entered her nostrils. While neither a ghost nor a being possessed of superhuman abilities, Spectra was able to recognize more than 100,000 different scents, and this one - electrically-charged ozone, such as one might find associated with electrical equipment - was very familiar to her. "Technus?" she asked the darkness without turning around. 

"Wrong brother," said a deep voice from behind her. Stepping into the light was a large, broad-shouldered ghost wearing a high-tech battlesuit.

"Skulker," she said, rather deadpan, "To what do I owe this dubious pleasure?"

He grinned and said, "I thought that it was time for us to just sit down and maybe have a little chat." Seating himself upon her couch, he steepled his fingers and said, "I wanted to talk to you about one of your students. Daniel Fenton."

Desiree looked at him quizzically and said, "Danny? What does he have to do with anything?"

"Fenton is not human," said Skulker, "but a third subspecies of ghost that was, previously, thought to be extinct."

Spectra stared at him like he had spoken it in gibberish and said, "Skulker, you're not drunk, are you?"

Skulker laughed in spite of himself and said, "If only I was. But really, as a teacher of Political History, surely you've heard of Adolf Hitler's _Wenig Taktreisenders_."

"Of course," she replied, "Humans infused with ghost genes to give them the powers of ghosts. But they've all been dead for over a decade."

"That's what I thought as well," said Skulker, "But last year, I was hired by a human named Vlad Masters to help him build some kind of laser weapon so he could destroy the world. He was a _Halvdel_, a human who gained a ghostly form without dying to attain it."

"This is all very interesting," said Spectra sarcastically, "but what does this have to do with Danny Fenton?"

"He's a _Halvdel_, too," said Skulker, "How or why, I don't know. The point is, he is a wild card and represents a possible threat to King Pariah's plans."

"And what," said Spectra, a little more tartly than she'd intended, "am I supposed to do about it, exactly?"

Skulker grinned again, this time with a mocking look on his face, and replied, "King Pariah is well aware of your . . . somewhat pedophiliac tastes. He feels that because of this you are in a position to keep the boy's mind off the events around him."

"My sexual proclivities are none of your business, Skulker," she snarled, hoping that her face wasn't as flushed with embarrassment as it felt.

"The point is," said Skulker, voice becoming dangerously lower, "You can fuck as weird as you want, but if Lord Pariah's plans are upset because you are unable to keep a simple teenager under control, you will suffer greatly." With that, he pressed a button on his suit and teleported away in a flash of light.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a small yet comfortable apartment in another part of the city, Valerie Grey sat by her reading lamp and tried to study for tomorrow's test. She was slipping below a B in English, and if she didn't pull it up her father would make her go see that tutor again. 

Suddenly, the door opened and shut. "Hey, honey," called an accented voice from the hallway, "I'm home."

"Hi dad," said Valerie, "How was work?"

"Oh God, don't ask," he said, throwing his jacket into the closet and flopping down onto an armchair, "I got a call from the Director a few hours ago, and since ghost activity in this part of the country is spiking, I'm going to have to work longer hours for only a small increase in pay!" Damien worked as the head of the FBI's new Paranormal Research and Control Unit (a subsection of the Counterterrorism Division), which was jokingly referred to as the Guys in White by disbelieving civilians (in honor of the white armor that their combat troops wore when apprehending ghosts particularly difficult ghosts).

Valerie sighed and started massaging her father's shoulders. She hated that he worked so hard at a practically thankless job. Why did people have to become so much more troublesome after they died than while they were alive?

"I just feel terrible about this, Val," said Damien, "I'm already around less than I should be. Maybe I should start looking for another job -"

"No, Dad," said Valerie, "You love working for the FBI. It's been your dream job since you were just a child! I know that you wish you were around more, but you're serving the country in a really important way."

"Thanks, Valerie," said Damien with a wistful smile, "God, you remind me so much of your mother." Rising from his chair and giving Val a kiss on the cheek, he went into the kitchen to start dinner.

* * *

Danny crept quietly down the stairs, trying not to attract any attention. Unfortunately, he heard his father call from the basement laboratory, "Danny! Come on down and see this!" Sighing, Danny descended the stairs. 

As soon as he reached the basement, his mother, Maddie Fenton, pulled him to one of the weapon racks and said, "The governments been using our inventions for years, but these are some of our best work!" She grabbed a cylindrical device that vaguely resembled a soup thermos and said, "While your father was modifying one of the blasters, I redesigned the containment unit into a stronger device. I call it the Fenton Thermos."

Danny rolled his eyes. His parents had taken to naming their inventions, and some of them were so corny that he hated to use them in battle. The outing in which he had used the Fenton Fisher (which was basically a pole that worked like a fishing rod) had been particularly embarrassing.

"That's nothing," said Jack, "Feast your eyes on this baby: The Fenton Disruptor. It's a specially modified ectoplasmic laser gun that processes a huge volume of blaster gas when its trigger is pulled, resulting in a much more powerful energy beam. The galven cylinders tightly focus the particle beam into a destructive force that breaks down objects on a molecular level, reducing them to ash."

"Jeez, Dad," said Danny, "Isn't that a little harsh?" Jack shrugged and tossed it aside.

"I took the liberty," said Maddie to break the tension, "of coming up with an ecto-gun that also fires sting charges, anesthetic microdarts, and even houses a small grappling hook and liquid-cable launcher." She picked up the weapon and handed it to Danny. Danny, no stranger to his parents' weapons, went over to the firing range to test it out.

Finally, he came back and said, "It's pretty good, Mom, but the balance is off and it shoots 2 inches to the right and 1 inch down."

"How about this one, Danny?" said Jack, rushing over to the table and grabbing another creation, "I call this one the Jack o' Ninetails. It's made of a special kind of steel braid that, when I press this button, becomes sheathed in ectoplasmic energy."

"Jack," said Maddie, "we agreed that we were going to call it the Fenton Lightwhip."

As the two began to argue, Danny quietly snuck out and returned to his room, where the creature Wulf was waiting for him. "So spill," said Danny to him, "what is going on?"

"_Mia nomi estas Wulf_," replied Wulf, "_Mi estas soldato en la militistaro de Walker, fantomo kiu estas konduki la batali kontrau la malbono rego Pariah Dark_."

"I have ABSOLUTELY no idea what you're saying," said Danny, resting his head in his hands. Suddenly, Danny remembered that Tucker knew a thing or two about obscure languages. Quickly he called him on the phone and asked him to come over.

* * *

At the same time, Danny's older sister, Jazz, was sitting on her bed, writing in her diary. 

_Dear Diary, I am really beginning to worry about Danny. His grades have been getting better, but he's been acting very strange lately. He sometimes talks to himself, he often just leaves without any explanation, I've noticed that he sometimes shivers even when it's warm out, and from what I can deduce, he and Sam are having problems. I was almost ready to blame Tourette syndrome, but his twitches and tics have long since stopped and his speech has never been affected. Oh God, I hope he's not on drugs or cheating on Sam. It probably all goes back to the fact that we suffer from deficient parental guidance._

Jazz heard voices coming from Danny's room, and looked up from her diary. Sticking her head out the door, she could partially see into Danny's room. He was pacing back and forth, obviously talking to someone. Jazz shook her head and said to herself, "Maybe I should introduce him to my therapist."

* * *

_**(A/N: Thanks for being so patient. Any ideas, comments, and constructive criticism appreciated. Please Review.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	5. Fanning the Flames

_**(A/N: Little discrepancy with the soundtrack, so to be fair to you guys, I'm putting it to a vote: Would you rather have Drake Bell, Green Day, or Trans-Siberian Orchestra do an instrumental version of the "Danny Phantom" theme song? Vote, and please Review.)**_

* * *

Ember sat in her small studio apartment, meditating. She had failed to bring Lord Pariah the Ring of Rage, but he had been merciful. The ring was hidden even from his all-seeing eyes, so he had stayed his hand and taken her off the task of retriving the items. She awaited her orders now. 

Finally, from beyond time and space, she felt Pariah's mental signals. _Ember,_ he said in a voice that was not a voice, _Prepare the human world for my coming. Spread the gospel of war amongst the Earth's restless and angered._

_Your wish is my command,_ replied Ember. He broke the link, and Ember stood up and went to the top of the building she was in. Unslinging her guitar, she tuned it and, choosing a softer, more high-pitched voice, began to sing her hypnotic song as rain began to gently fall on the city of Amity Park:

_Yeah! Ohh-ooohhh! It was, it was September. Wind blows, the dead leaves fall. To you, I did surrender. Two weeks, you didn't call. Your life, goes on without me. My life, a losing game. But you should, you should not doubt me. You will remember my name . . ._

* * *

"_Kiu estas vi_?" asked Tucker. He was fairly proficient in Esperanto, and had agreed to translate for Wulf and Danny. 

Wulf replied, "_Mi estas Wulf. Mi havi veni al savi via mondo kaj mian._"

"He's here to save the Earth and the Ghost Zone," said Tucker, "His name is Wulf."

"From who, or what?" asked Danny. Tucker repeated the question in Esperanto.

"_La Fantomo Rego_," said Wulf, "_la plej malbono estajo en tio ci mondo au ia alia. Pariah Dark. Li serci la Eros de Eterneco, la magio batalilos tio fari lin nevenkebla._"

"Well?" asked Danny, "What did he say?" Tucker told him. They spent the next ten minutes communicating the various details known to each of them.

"I have one question," said Danny, "Wulf said that when the ring and the crown are brought together, Pariah's most fearsome servant will be released to pave the way for his master. Why hasn't he been released?"

Wulf laughed and said, "_Tial ke li fari ne havi la ringo, nur la krono._" Wulf reached into his pocket and withdrew the very ring!

"But I saw Ember take it," said Danny, examining the ring.

"_Vi segi kio mi mizerego vi (kaj Ember, pro tio stofo) al vidi,_" said Wulf, "_La ringo devas ne trovi gin kutimo posta flanko al Rego Pariah. Vi mosto gardi gi gis sendangera loko povas esti fondi._"

"What did he say?" asked Danny, not feeling sure that he wanted to know.

"He wants," said Tucker, "you to safeguard the ring. He won't say anything else."

Suddenly, Wulf became tense. He went over toward the window and growled, "_Tie estas faligi voco sur la vento._"

_Oh, Ember, you will remember. Ember, one thing remains. Ember, so warm and tender, you will remember my name . . ._

* * *

Valerie had long since gone to bed, but there would be no sleep for Damien this night. He loved his job, sometimes, but the one thing that he also hated was the paperwork. God, they had just buried him under mountains of paperwork when he'd been promoted to Section Chief. 

Suddenly, he got a call. Flipping open his cell, he said, "Grey. What? Slow down, Mel, you're babbling. What?! Yes!" Damien pumped a fist in the air. They had recently captured a ghost that could finally give them the evidence necessary to take down a wanted criminal. Writing a quick note for when Val woke up, he put on his coat and rushed out the door.

Several minutes later, he walked up the steps to the FBI building. It was pouring rain, but he barely noticed. For a moment, he thought that he heard singing.

_Your heart, your heart has ventured. You're wrong, now bare the shame. Like bad dreams, in cold December, nothing but ashes remain . . ._

* * *

Circus Gothica was almost operational. Freakshow had personally supervised the entire building process to make sure that there would be no mistakes. Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him. Turning, he frowned to see Bertrand, Spectra's lackey. 

"Howdy," said Bertrand, "How the circus business these days?"

"It serves its purpose," replied Freakshow, trying to conceal his disdain for the little man. He'd always found Bertrand's sadistic depravity tiring, despite his usefulness in matters of gathering information. If it were up to him, he'd have been banished from Lord Pariah's service a long time ago.

"Hey, Freakshow," said Bertrand, pointing a structure behind the main tent, "what's with the tower?"

"It is a structure of meditation, in which I can focus my magical powers to take command of the mind of any ghost within a much larger radius than I am usually permitted. Hopefully, it will eventually allow me to divine the location of the master's ring and the key."

"About that," said Bertrand, fishing around in his coat pocket, "This human in this photograph? His name's Danny Fenton. He's a _Halvdel_, and could cause trouble. Miss Spectra's already working the problem, but since our margin for error is so slight, King Pariah wants you runnin' interference, too. Let's see if that fancy orb of yours works on his kind."

Freakshow was quiet for a minute, listening to the wind. Finally, he said, "Sounds like Ember's working on it, too."

_Oh, Ember, you will remember. Ember, one thing remains. Ember, so warm and tender, you will remember my name . . ._

* * *

Sam, having long since given up trying to sleep, put on her robe and went down to the kitchen to find some comfort food. Rummaging through the fridge, she settled for some vegetarian lasagna. 

"Trouble sleeping honey?" asked a voice from the doorway. Sam looked and saw her father, eating an apple.

Sam sighed and said, "You might say that. Yesterday, when Danny took me out for our anniversary, he got called away just when he was about to say something to me."

Jeremy snorted and said, "I always knew that boy was a flake."

Sam frowned and said, "Don't talk about him like that. I'm sure he had a good reason."

"His kind ALWAYS has a good reason!" said Jeremy.

"I don't care what you say about him," said Sam, her voice rising higher, "I love him and that's that!"

"What did you say?" asked Jeremy in a low voice.

"I love him," said Sam, "and he loves me, too."

"Naturally," said Jeremy, voice dripping with caustic sarcasm as he threw up his arms and paced about the kitchen, "Who WOULDN'T love a girl as young, beautiful, and rich as you are?!"

"That has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with it!" screeched Sam, "He loves me for who I am inside. He accepts and cares about me in way you can't understand!"

"I don't wanna hear you talking like this," said Jeremy, pointing his finger at her, "I don't want your mother to hear you talking like this. It's crazy. It's like -"

"Like WHAT, exactly?" yelled Sam, "Like I wanna marry him?" Jeremy went deathly quiet after that. Slowly, the things that he and Sam had said to each other began to sink in

"Baby," said Jeremy, this time with tenderness, "you're only 16. You shouldn't even be thinking about marriage." He tried to put his hands on her shoulder, but Sam pushed him away.

"I'm NOT your baby," said Sam icily, "You haven't noticed, but I've done some growing up in the last few years."

Sam stalked out of the kitchen and returned to her room. Jeremy sat down at the table and rested his head in his hands. Slowly, the tears began to fall, and the ethereal music that faintly came on the wind fell on deaf ears.

_Oh-woo-oh-woo, Ember, you will remember! Ember, one thing remains! Ember, so warm and tender, you will remember my name! Yeah, you will remember my name!_

* * *

_**(A/N: With the subplots advancing nicely, time to go back to the main plot. Please Review.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	6. The Million Dollar Ghost

_**(A/N: Okay, I'm caught between a number of ideas for how to advance the plot, so I need your guys' help: Should Spectra attempt to seduce Danny herself OR should she pair him with Paulina in a school project and let nature take its course? Also, since I've decided that Hilary Duff looks a little too much like Kaley Cuoco, the role of Lydia will henceforth be played by Ivana Miličević (Valenka in **__**Casino Royale**__**). Please Read and Reply.)**_

* * *

Damien marched down the hall of the building toward the interrogation room. His assistant, Mel Powers, joined him as he walked. 

"So tell me, Mel," said Damien, not slowing his pace, "did we get something good this time?"

"Freaking-A right," replied Mel, smiling like a kid at Christmas, "We caught Lydia this time, Mr. Grey. Lydia! If we get her to testify, we've got Showenhower in the bag!"

"That's a very big 'if,' Mel," said Damien, "Remember, she's his right-hand woman. 10 to 1 odds says she won't talk willingly."

They stopped at the door, entered, and closed it. Damien looked across the metal table to see a beautiful woman; blond hair spiked on her head, long legs elegantly crossed, her cloak casually opened in the front, and her wrists bound with hi-tech stun-cuffs.

"You can't keep me here forever," said Lydia in an even, almost sensuous, voice, "I'm an American citizen, and I have my rights."

"That's where you're wrong, baby-cakes," said Damien, sitting across from her, "You've been legally dead since 1974, and posthumously active since 1976. Your DNA is neither human nor animal, so technically, you have no rights. There are no laws for your kind, except those that the President of the United States authorizes me to make up for you. Now, I could legally torture you to testify against your lover, Freakshow, but that's not how we do things in this country so I'll give you a chance to give us the testimony on your own."

Lydia was silent for a long time before she finally said, "I'd rather spend the rest of my afterlife rotting in a prison than betray him."

Frowning, Grey replied, "Okay. If that's the way you want it." He got up and stalked out of the room.

Turning to Mel before he went home, Damien said, "Put her in the dingiest holding cell we've got. No luxuries at all until she cracks."

* * *

_God,_ thought Danny, the next day at school, _as I didn't have enough to worry about, the earth is being threatened by some all powerful ghost king!_

He saw Sam at her locker getting her books. Coming up behind her, he kissed her cheek and said, "Hey, Sam."

She turned to face him, sensing the weariness in his voice. "What's wrong, Danny?" she asked.

He replied, "Something is happening in the Ghost Zone. A ghost king from thousands of years ago is awaking, and he has agents everywhere. He's trying to get back these talismans called the Items of Eternity. There's a crown, a ring, and key."

"That statue that Ember took from you," said Sam, "didn't it have a crown?"

Danny nodded and said, "And she tried to get the ring at a museum."

"Try?" asked Sam, confused, "I thought you said that she did get it."

Danny pulled the ring out of his pocket and said, "No. A ghost called Wulf got it first and gave it to me for safekeeping. He's part of an army that's marshaling against the ghost king while they search for some warrior called the Silver Centurion."

Both of them were quiet for a minute when Danny suddenly blurted out, "Sam, I'm SO sorry about leaving you at the restaurant. I should've just let it go -"

Sam placed her finger against his lips and said, "Danny, I understand. I can't say that it's easy being the girlfriend of a superhero, but I just have to accept that it's for the greater good. I mean, I can't very well ask you to deny God's plan for you."

"What did I do to deserve as good a girlfriend as you?" asked Danny with a smile, kissing her.

"I don't know," said Sam when she finally came up for air, "but I hope you keep doing it."

"Sam," said Danny, fishing around in his pocket, "There's something I've been meaning to ask you." But the bell rang, and Sam kissed him goodbye and hurried off to class. Danny looked into his hand at the ring that he had once again not been able to give to Sam.

* * *

"Wulf," said Walker, "For the love of God, PLEASE tell me that you are joking." 

"_Mi neniam serci cirkau grava stofos_," replied Wulf humorlessly.

"Goddamn," said Walker, pacing, "God_damn_. You actually gave the Ring of Rage to a human teenager?! What are you, a fucking moron!?"

"_Li estas ne modela junulo_," snarled Wulf, "_Li estas duono fantomo. Li protekti la urbo de Amity Park dum vi malspari via tempo peni al instrui aro de krimulos al batali tiel militistaro!_"

"Don't go turning this back on me, Wulf," said Walker, jabbing his gloved finger into Wulf's barrel-chest, "I'm not the one who gave one of the Items of Eternity to a kid!"

"_Mi jam diri vi_," said Wulf, "_li estas ne nur kapirdo. Mi havi kauzo al kredi tio li estas la Argento Centjaro_."

Walker chuckled ruefully and said, "You honestly expect me to believe that some _Halvdel_ from northern California could be the Silver Centurion?" Walker stalked away, but secretly wondered to himself, _Can it be possible?_

* * *

On the outer fringes of the Ghost Zone, there was a place that did not exist in the conventional sense. Akin to a "living verb," this place was known as the White Tower, home of the Amaranthine. Deep within its depths, 4 of the 5 brothers spent most of their time in meditation, contemplating the infinite wonders of the universe. Suddenly, one of them rose from his cushioned seat and slowly walked to the highest room in the Tower . . . 

"What are you doing here, brother?" asked Clockwork without turning around.

"I have simply come to view the events of the human world with my physical eyes instead of my inner ones," said the cloaked figure in a hoarse, raspy voice. He strode over to the crystal ball Clockwork used to watch, record, and control the flow of time.

"Pariah Dark is attempting to free himself, Mysterium," said Clockwork, "He already has the Crown of Fire and he will soon acquire the Cosmic Skeleton Key. Only the Ring of Rage remains out of his grasp."

"But Pariah will eventually free himself," said Mysterium, "and we will do nothing to stop him."

"Exactly," said Clockwork, delighted at his brother's foresight, "This fight belongs to the Silver Centurion, provided that he realizes his destiny in time." A nervous smile flirted with Mysterium's lips, and he left the room to return to his meditation.

Clockwork watched his brother leave. Finally, he said, "I summon thee, my servants. Appear before me, Observants." They appeared, one at a time, in puffs of smokeless green fire.

"My lord," said Number 2, "what do you wish of us?"

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Number 1, "The Silver Centurion needs a little push if he is to recognize his destiny."

"Of course," said Number 3, "we're forbidden from directly interfering in the course of history."

"Perhaps you could wait," said Clockwork, annoyed, "until I actually give you your orders next time. So, go do what Number 2 just said and remember what Number 3 said." The three brothers bowed and teleported back to Earth.

* * *

_**(A/N: Since I never got a final vote from you guys last chapter, I shall repeat the pole: Who would you like to have do an instrumental (non-vocal) version of the "Danny Phantom" theme song: Drake Bell, Green Day, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, or someone else (please specify)?)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	7. Life Lessons

_**(A/N: Since the last chapter went over so well, I have high hopes for this one. Also, I forgot to mention: last chapter, Damien's assistant Mel Powers was played by Michael Roof and Clockwork's brother Mysterium by Ken Watanabe. Please Read and Review.)**_

* * *

"Now, class," said Spectra, flashing them her perfect, toothpaste-commercial smile, "For our study into home economics, I have decided to have you to do project on married life." The students all leaned forward, somewhat interested. 

"You will each be assigned a domestic partner for the rest of the semester," she continued, "and will be given a new assignment every week. These assignments will generally have you either do something for your 'spouse' or demonstrate some sort of household skill."

Danny discreetly held up a note to Sam, who sat next to him, which said, _Mrs. Samantha Fenton?_ Sam smiled and took his hand, saying, "I do."

"I have also decided," continued Spectra, "to pair you at random. When I call your name, go sit with your assigned partner. Kwan Moon, you're with Marcy Applestein. Dash Baxter, Sarah McGovern."

As Spectra continued to pair them off, Sam whispered, her voice almost vindictive, "She's bound to pair us together. It'll piss my parents off so much, my dad's forehead vein is bound to pop."

"You're fighting with your parents _again_?" asked Danny.

Before Sam could answer, Spectra called out, "Danny Fenton, Paulina Sánchez." Sam's mouth dropped in surprised, then her face contorted in anger as Paulina slinked over to the desk opposite Danny and gave him a sultry wink as she smiled seductively.

"Sam Manson," said Spectra, "you're with Gregor Elliot."

* * *

Jazz entered her brother's room. It was an off day for seniors, so Jazz was free to search without Danny finding out. If there were any answers behind his strange behavior, she was sure to find them here. 

"Okay," she said, "I have to think like a teenage boy: I have something that I don't want anyone, especially my parents, to see. Where would I hide it?" She looked under the mattress, the pillows, and the bed. Nothing. Then, she got creative. Stepping around lightly for loose floorboards, Jazz finally found one that pulled up to reveal a stash of astrophysics magazines.

"Not your normal hidden magazines for a teenage boy," said Jazz, shaking her head, "but nothing dangerous."

Jazz decided to take a break and use his bathroom. While she was washing her hands, she noticed scuff marks on the tank, as though the top had recently been lifted and replaced rather roughly. Jazz wasn't sure it was a good idea, but she fought her instincts and lifted it. She gasped when she saw what was inside: A hypodermic syringe, the needle caked in dried blood, and a bag filled with white powder sealed in a waterproof container.

Jazz could only think that it was one thing. _Heroin._

* * *

"My heart, like, so totally goes out to you, Paulina," said Starr, "No one should have to work with that loser." 

Paulina, who was busy reapplying her makeup at the moment, replied, "Maybe Danny Fenton isn't as big as a loser as he used to be. I mean, he beat up Dash last year, and there's never been anything wrong with the way he looks."

Starr looked thoughtful for a minute and said, "OMG! You're doing this just to get back at Sam, aren't you?!"

Paulina smiled wickedly and replied, "Guilty as charged. That goth bitch has been putting me down since we were kids, calling me 'shallow,' and making fun of me. Well, we'll see who's shallow after I seduce her boyfriend. When I'm done with him, Danny Fenton will be eating out of my hands. And my bellybutton, if I'm feeling frisky."

The two girls started giggle with mixed delight and ruthlessness.

Meanwhile, Tucker strolled through the hallway, listening to the radio on his PDA. Suddenly, an announcement came through, "This just in: in an unprecedented rearranging of the pop charts, Ember McLain's single, _RemEmber_, has risen to the top in only three days!"

Tucker dashed madly down the hall to tell Danny, but tripped over a trash can and slide the last 10 feet. "If you're trying out for track, you need to practice," said Danny. Tucker stood up and played the announcement just as Sam walked up.

"Unbelievable," she said angrily, "it's so infuriating how mindless, prepackaged, corporate bubblegum is preventing true musical artists from being heard!"

"Sam," replied Danny, "we've got bigger problems. She's still in the city, and that means that she must have an idea of where the Ring of Rage is."

"I'll run a search and see if I can find the Key," said Tucker, running off to do it.

"Sam?" called Danny as she started to walk away, "I'm sorry that we can't hang out tonight, but Paulina and I – "

"You don't have to say it, Danny," said Sam, obviously annoyed, "I have to do the same thing with Gregor." She looked at the assignment sheet. It said, _Spend some time getting to know your spouse._

"Before we go," said Danny, "there's something I've been – "

"Yoo-hoo," called a coquettish voice, "Danny!" He turned to see Paulina waving at him. Dressed in platform boots, skinny jeans, and an orange tube-top, she certainly got his attention.

"C'mon, Danny," said Paulina, taking his arm, "Let's go work at my house." Danny smiled apologetically at Sam, who was glaring daggers at Paulina.

* * *

Freakshow sat at his desk, going over his legal (and somewhat legal) documents when he heard feet approaching. Looking up, he saw Damien Gray approaching. 

"Federal agent," said Damien, flashing his badge, "You mind answering a few questions, Mr. Showenhower?"

"Not at all," said Freakshow, gesturing toward an open chair.

"I'm from the Paranormal Research and Control Division," said Gray, sitting down, "I have some concerns about some of your employees."

"Ah," said Freakshow, shaking his head, "The inevitable concern regarding my use of real ghosts."

"There's a legitimate cause for concern, sir," said Damien, "In 3 of the last 5 towns you've been in, there was a string of inexplicable robberies."

"I don't watch over the ghosts every minute of every day," said Freakshow, "and I generally do not ask what they do off the clock. However, I DO search their living quarters, and I have never found anything that could be construed as illegal or stolen. I find it highly unlikely any of them are doing such things behind my back."

"All the same," said Damien, rising to leave, "Keep your eyes open. If anything weird happens, I wanna know."

As he left, Freakshow watched him and quietly said, "I can't believe that Lydia got captured by these idiots."

* * *

_**(A/N: Any ideas on who to play Gregor? I have none at all. Please Review.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	8. Flirting With Disaster

_**(A/N: Paulina's father (if he appears) will be played by Danny Trejo. Also, after much deliberation, I have decided that Gregor Elliot will be played by Steven Strait**_ **à la**_** Warren Peace from "Sky High." Please Read and Reply.)**_

* * *

After school, Danny went with Paulina to her house. It was a tasteful, 4-bedroom ranch house; not as big as Sam's, but still opulent in its own way. The assignment for this week was _Spend some quality time getting to know your spouse_, and Danny wouldn't have had a problem with that if Paulina hadn't tried to maneuver herself into his lap.

"So Danny," said Paulina, inching closer, "I notice that you ride that badass motorcycle to school sometimes. Where'd you get it?"

"It was a gift," said Danny, his voice higher than normal, "My parents and sister gave it to me. I'm something of a gearhead, to tell you the truth."

"Really?" said Paulina, drawing her perfectly-manicured nails down his cheek, "Well, then I have something you should see."

She led him to her garage and flicked on the lights. Danny thought for sure he was going to faint: Every car he'd ever dreamed about owning was right there!

"My dad collects cars," said Paulina, "I think that you and he would get along well."

Danny walked through the garage, checking every car that caught his eye. "1964 Aston Martin DB5," said Danny, stopping at the cars, one by one, "BMW Z3, Ferrari F355 GTS, Mustang Mach 1 "Fastback," Jaguar XKR. Oh my God, is that a 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III?"

As Danny fussed over the cars, Paulina smiled to herself and thought, _This'll be easier than I thought. By the time this is over, Danny will be wrapped around my finger._

* * *

Sam and Gregor met at a small coffeehouse in the suburbs. She had found, to her pleasant surprise, that Gregor shared many of her views on life. They were both into music that was "out there"; They were both vegetarians; they both agreed that Green Day's sellout was marked by their album "Dookie"; He was an aspiring Libertarian, while she was devoted to the Green Party, but they were still compatible enough.

"So Gregor," said Sam, sipping her herbal tea, "I only started seeing you around town during freshman year. Where are you from originally?"

"My parents and I are from northern Kasnia, a small country in the Balkans," replied Gregor, "We left when I was a baby; it was shortly before a civil war broke out."

"Wow," said Sam, "I hope I don't sound insensitive, but that's kind of cool."

Gregor chuckled and said, "No, I know, it actually is very cool."

As they continued to chat about this, that, and the other thing, Tucker happened to walk by the coffeeshop on his way home. Seeing how friendly they were getting, Tucker thought, _I've got a BAD feeling about this._

* * *

Night fell across the city; street lights came on, and on a rooftop across from the FBI building, Bertrand watched the movement of Damien Gray through his binoculars. His orders from Spectra were to find where they were keeping Lydia and free her.

"Okay, Gray," said Bertrand to himself, "show me the money." Bertrand carefully noted the sensors around the building that went off when they detected ghosts, and finally spotted Gray entering a kind of vault. Squinting hard, he managed to make out the words, "Paranormal Prisoner Containment Unit."

_Bingo,_ thought Bertrand. Shifting into a bird, he quickly flew toward Circus Gothica. Spending several minutes giving Freakshow the details, he said, "Security was ultra-tight. I'm gonna need to borrow some muscle."

"As you wish," replied Freakshow. Whistling between his fingers, several of his ghostly performers entered his tent. Bertrand selected the Alligator Man, the Fire-Eater, the Strongman, and the crafty Clown to assist him.

"Remember," said Freakshow as they left, "I want Lydia back _unharmed and as soon as possible_. You all know the penalty for failure."

* * *

Danny entered his house from the kitchen side-door, hoping his parents wouldn't mind that he was late. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the note on the fridge saying, _Went to Washington to study the Puget Sound sea-monster. Be back in two days. Danny, please listen to Jazz. Love Mom and Dad._

Danny tossed his backpack on the couch and headed up to his room. But just as he opened the door, he saw Jazz sitting on his bed with a frown on her face.

"Jazz," said Danny, "what's wrong?"

"You should know damn well what's wrong, Danny," she snapped, standing, "I know that you're taking drugs."

"What are you talking about?" said Danny, "I'm not on drugs! I wouldn't even know where to get any."

"Don't give me that," yelled Jazz, holding up the bag with the powder and needle in it, "I found this heroin in your toilet!"

Suddenly, the Jazz's complete shock, Danny began to laugh. "What's so funny?" snarled Jazz, "Are you high right now?!"

"Jazz," said Danny, becoming serious, "That's not heroin. It's sugar." Jazz opened the bag, tasted a little of the powder, and found, to her extreme relief, that it was indeed sugar.

"What about the needle?" asked Jazz after a minute.

"Sugar water," said Danny, "when injected into open wounds, forms a kind of natural bandage that prevents infections. It's been used since the Napoleonic Wars to heal battlefield injuries."

"Why do you need sugar water?" asked Jazz suspiciously.

Danny looked down at the floor for a minute, trying to decide whether or not to tell her. Finally, he said, "I'm Danny Phantom." He changed into his ghost form to prove that he was telling the truth.

Jazz paled visibly and sat down. Finally, she managed to say, "It was the accident in Mom and Dad's lab, wasn't it? That gave you these powers?"

"Yes," said Danny, "I'm sorry I never told you, but I just wanted to protect you from my enemies."

"Do Sam and Tucker know?" asked Jazz, "What about Mom and Dad?"

"Sam and Tucker know," said Danny, "but only because they found out at the same time I did. If Mom and Dad knew, I'd have been cut up and put under a microscope by now."

"So," said Jazz, standing, "I guess that I'll just have to accept it. And help you any way I can."

She hugged him, and Danny felt better knowing that he wasn't so alone in his fight anymore.

* * *

_All is as I have planned_, said Pariah Dark. Ember was receiving his thoughts perfectly now that hundreds of people were chanting her name.

_And once my concert takes place in 3 days,_ replied Ember, _You will have an army of minds to be molded to your dogma, my lord._ Not to mention the fact that she would finally have the fame and adoration that had so long eluded her.

* * *

_**(A/N: Sorry that it took so long, but you know how writers' block can be.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	9. Public Enemies and Allies

_**(A/N: Between the subplots and the regular plot, I'm a little unsure of how to proceed from here, so any ideas, any at all, that you can offer will be greatly appreciated. Please Read and Review.)**_

* * *

The next day was a very awkward one. Danny and Sam, assigned to sit next to each other in Lancer's class, could barely look each other in the eye. Tucker, on the other hand, seemed determined to keep conversation between them going.

"So," said Tucker, "How's 'married' life treating you guys?"

Danny and Sam both muttered, "Fine," and went back to trying to concentrate.

"This is ridiculous," said Valerie, sitting one desk away, "You guys aren't cheating on each other just because Spectra says that you're 'married' to someone else. It's just a damn school assignment."

Danny looked at Sam and said, "You know, she has a point, Sam."

Sam nodded and replied, "Yeah, we're just acting stupid."

Suddenly, the classroom door opened and a man dressed in FBI garb entered. He turned to Valerie and said, "Valerie Gray, will you please come with me?" She followed him out of the room. There were faint sounds of conversation, then a loud wail of sorrow.

* * *

**1 Hour Earlier**

Damien sat at his desk, going over a chart depicting the theorized migrational patterns of ghosts. Suddenly, there was an explosion, followed by the klaxon of alarms. Drawing his field revolver, Damien ran out into the hall. Seeing Mel running toward him, he shouted, "Mel, what's going on?! What happened?!"

"We're under attack, sir," said Mel, "Some ghosts are trying to get to the Vault!"

Damien reentered his office and got a laser-cannon from beneath his desk. Charging it up, he said to Mel, "let's go kick some ass."

In the main building, there was already a fire fight going on between the FBI personnel and the attacking ghosts.

"We're pinned down, boss," said the Lizard Man, "What do we do?"

"Not to worry," replied Bertrand, "General Skulker gave me this wonderful little toy." Taking a small bobble from his pocket, Bertrand twisted the nob on it and threw. Instantly, all the humans were incinerated.

"C'mon," said Bertrand, "The Vault is this way." They rushed down the corridor to the Vault where the ghosts were kept.

"Stand back," said the fire-eater, "I'll blow the security field." But just as he inhaled, a piercing laser-beam shot through his temple, spraying his brains all over his companions.

"Take this, motherfuckers!" screamed Damien, charging at them while firing blindly. The attackers leapt for cover, with the Strong Man losing an arm and the Lizard Man getting badly burned.

"Christ," cursed Bertrand under his breath, "I forgot about that one." Suddenly, he disappeared.

"Bertrand!" screech the Lizard Man, "Damn it! He's gone!"

"Come out with your hands up," yelled Damien, "And I probably won't kill any more of you." Suddenly, Grey's head exploded, and a massive grizzly bear emerged from his neck. Shaking the blood off its fur, Bertrand resumed his normal form.

"Turned into a flea," said Bertrand, "Grew inside his head." Picking up Grey's keycard, he opened the Vault and strode down toward Lydia's cell.

"Well," she said petulantly, "It's about time you got here."

* * *

Danny sat on his bed, his head down. _I should be controlling these monsters_, thought Danny, _I wavered in my duty, and now Mr. Gray is dead._

There was a knock at his door, and Jazz entered. "You okay, Danny?" she asked.

Danny shook his head and replied, "No. I've been far too distracted, lately. I've been so worried about myself and my concerns that I've forgotten that the Ghost King is out, preparing to return. I won't fail again. I've got to find the Key before he does."

"How, Danny?" said Jazz, "It could be anywhere in the world, and you're just one guy. How are you going to be able to find the Cosmic Skeleton Key?"

"_Jen estas kutimo_," said a voice behind them. Turning, Danny and Jazz saw Wulf and a tall ghost with a skull-like face and a long white trench coat.

"Oh . . . my God," said Jazz, moving against the wall, "Who are they?"

"The big furry one is Wulf," said Danny, "But who are you?"

"The name's Walker, son," said the ghost, "I'm an ally in the war against King Pariah."

"_Ni veni al vi nun, je la turni de la sciigo_," said Wulf, bowing before Jazz.

"He basically said that we're here to help," said Walker, "I've got a ton of relevant information on Pariah's minions, the movements of his army, just about everything except the Items of Eternity and the Silver Centurion."

"The what?" asked Danny and Jazz at the same time.

"_La Argento Centjaro estas granda heroo_," said Wulf, "_Militisto kiu testamenti kontraubatali Pariah Dark kaj fari batalo kun lin_."

"What is he saying?" asked Jazz, completely confused.

"Later," said Walker, "Right now, he and I have to go back to the Ghost Zone and prepare the troops to fight, if necessary. You deal with Pariah's minions in this world, and we might be able to stop him. So, partners?"

Walker extended his hand. Allowing himself to transform into ghost mode, Danny replied, "Partners," and grasped Walker's hand.

* * *

The stadium was filled to capacity. Ember's concert was having a bigger turnout than even she had expected. Smiling to herself, she double-checked herself in the mirror to make sure that her flesh-colored makeup kept her blue skin hidden. Satisfied, she exited her dressing room and stepped up to the microphone and said, "HELLO, AMITY PARK!" She allowed them to cheer for a minute before continuing.

"ARE YOU READY TO ROCK!!" she said, unslinging her guitar. The crowd went wild for a minute, then went silent as her backup musicians began to play. Finally, she began to sing.

_Long lost words whisper slowly to me  
Still can't find what keeps me here  
When all this time I've been so hollow inside  
I know you're still there . . ._

_Watching me, wanting me  
I can feel you pull me down  
Fearing you, loving you  
I won't let you pull me down_

_Hunting you, I can smell you - alive  
Your heart pounding in my head_

_Watching me, wanting me  
I can feel you pull me down  
Saving me, raping me, watching me_

_Watching me, wanting me  
I can feel you pull me down  
Fearing you... loving you  
I won't let you pull me down!!_

The crowd shouted their love of the song, and Ember could fill their adoration sweeping across the stage and into her body. "That's it, babies," she said, "Say my name!" Suddenly, one of the stage lights exploded into green sparks. Danny floated down, looking mad as Hell.

"You just don't know when to quit, do you, Baby-Pop?" said Ember.

* * *

_**(A/N: Well, from this point on, the kid gloves are officially off, people. Please Review.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	10. Shades of Gray

_**(A/N: I'm noticing that this fic hasn't been getting many reviews, lately. I guess it's my fault for taking so much time between posting chapters and cluttering it with all the subplots. But I suppose that it was inevitable because, after all, the sequel is never quite as good as the first movie (though it often does better at the box office initially). Please Read & Review.)**_

* * *

Valerie had been almost hysterical with grief for the first few hours after she'd heard the terrible news. Her grandparents had taken her in, and a doctor gave her a mild sedative so she could sleep. The FBI was watching their house in case any more of Damien's enemies tried to go after them. But even with all this protection, Mel still felt that something was going to happen.

_My God_, he thought, wiping his face with a tissue, _I can't believe this happened! Mr. Gray is dead, his little girl is an orphan, AND Lydia got away!! Not exactly a good day for the Guys in White._

Suddenly, his cellphone rang. Checking it, he saw the text message he had hoped would never come. It said only one thing: **It's time. Bring her to me.**

Swallowing hard, Mel exited his car and went up the house. Knocking, it was answered by an older couple, Valerie's grandparents. "Can we help you?" asked the man.

Mel replied, "I'm Agent Mel Powers, FBI. I worked under Damien Gray."

"What do you want, Agent Powers?" asked her grandmother.

"I need to speak with Valerie," he said, "It's a matter of utmost importance."

Valerie came in at just that moment, rubbing her eyes. "Mel?" she said.

"Valerie," he said, "I need you to come with me."

A few minutes later, they were driving down the road toward the outskirts of the city in Mel's BMW 750iL Sedan. Valerie noticed that the car was going well over the speed limit, and it wasn't comforting to see the hard look on Mel's face.

"Does the Bureau know who killed my father?" she finally asked, unable to stand the silence.

Mel took a long, sad breath and said, "Not _per se_, but the fact that they worked so hard to spring Lydia means that the evidence points to Frederick Isaac Showenhower. You know that name?"

"Yes," replied Valerie, "The owner of Circus Gothica. They call him 'Freakshow.' Dad told me that you guys have been after him for years."

"Unfortunately," said Mel, "they were smart enough to knock out all our cameras before attacking, and since all the agents that got a good look at the attackers are dead, we have no way to prove it." He grimaced, his face screaming an eloquent hate that Val had never seen before.

"But you have to do something," said Val, "You can't just let my father's murder go unpunished."

"There's nothing I can do," said Mel, "and nothing that the Bureau can do, but there is something that you can do." He parked the car and lead Valerie into an open field. Taking out his Ericsson JB988 mobile phone, Mel pointed it directly at the ground and entered a sequence of numbers. Part of the grass moved away to reveal a metal staircase.

"What is this place?" asked Val, now filled with apprehension. She followed Mel down the stairs.

"Your father was a very smart man with powerful enemies," said Mel, "When I left the NSA to join the Bureau, he immediately took me under his wing. Now, I don't mean to brag, but I'm a computer genius. I studied the secret works of Nikolai Technus, and one of his techniques caught my eye particularly: the ability to program a person's brain algorithms into a supercomputer, granting them a degree of immortality."

"What does this have to do with my dad?" asked Valerie.

"Your father was much more important than you know," replied Mel, "He wasn't just a section chief. As head of the Paranormal Research and Control Division, he was answerable only to POTUS. As such, he knew that he couldn't afford to die in the line of duty." They finally reached the end of the staircase and Mel opened a door. They entered a high-tech room with a huge computer.

"Hey boss," said Mel, "I got her." The computer's screen lit up to reveal the face of Damien Gray.

"Dad?!" said Valerie, not daring to believe it.

"You're not dreaming, honey," said Damien with a fatherly smile, "It's me. Before I explain anything else, tell me: what do you seek?"

Valerie thought for a minute and said, "To do what you did. To help those who are preyed upon by those stronger than they."

Damien grinned and replied, "That's just the answer I was hoping for. And that's why I made you this." A computerized walker came up to her and gave her a box. Valerie opened it and saw what was inside: A more advanced version of Fentons' patented combat armor! While it would provide less protection than the standard armor, its dual function as extremely sophisticated survival gear would make it invaluable.

"Well, Val?" said Mel, "You ready to engage in some illegal ghost-hunting?" Val gave a smile that seemed to say, _Suit me up. Let's get to work._

* * *

Grabbing the mike stand, Danny swung it at Ember, who parried with her guitar. The crowd, thinking that it was just part of the show, cheered and whooped for Ember.

"Hear that, Dipstick?" snarled Ember as she fired a wave of ectoplasmic noise through her guitar at him, "The more they chant my name, the more powerful I become!"

"They wouldn't be cheering for you," said Danny, "if they knew that you were a ghost working to bring about the end of mankind." He and Ember fired energy blasts at each other at the same time. The feedback created an electromagnetic pulse that shorted out every electronic device in the stadium.

"No," said Ember, strumming her guitar alarmingly, "NO!" Her guitar was now completely inoperable. Her eyes glowed a fierce red with fiery rage, and her long ponytail grew even longer as the fans shouted her name.

_Shit_, thought Danny, _How am I supposed to stop her?_ Suddenly, it hit him.

"Hey Ember," he called tauntingly, "You know what a cool thing about ectoplasmic energy is? It's extremely versatile due to not being entirely bound by E equaling MC squared. Basically, an expert in using it can release it in different forms."

Ember hovered toward him, burning the stage as she advanced. "And how exactly is this going to help you, Baby-Pop?"

"Because of all its forms," said Danny, "one of my favorites is _pure heat_." Faster than Ember could react, Danny cupped his hands together and unleashed a searing blast. The sheer temperature cause Ember's paint to harden and shatter, revealing her true form to everyone in the stadium.

"This is the REAL Ember McLain," said Danny, grabbing the microphone, "A ghost. She's been hypnotizing you with her music, turning you into an army of mindless drones!"

The crowd entered a state of silence, and Ember's ponytail began to flicker and die.

"Tell me who you love!" Ember shouted, "Come on, say it!" The crowd remained silent.

"Say my name!" she yelled, sounding more desperate, "SAY MY NAME!!"

She fell to the floor of the stage in a heap, her ponytail no longer burning. She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked up. "I hate being called 'Baby-Pop,'" said Danny. He pressed a button on the Fenton Thermos and sucked her in.

For a while, everything was silent. Then, just as Danny was about to fly off, the fans in the stadium all went wild, chanting _Ghost-Boy, Ghost-Boy, Ghost-Boy!!_

Danny picked up the microphone and said, "The name is Danny Phantom." And with an explosive flourish, he shot into the sky and back toward Fenton Works.

* * *

_**(A/N: Valerie's grandparents are played by Edward James Olmos and Belita Moreno. And if it's not too much trouble, I'd appreciate a few favs. Please Review.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	11. An Eye for an Eye

_**(A/N: Okay people, we're averaging 5 reviews per chapter, but I think we can do better, so don't be afraid to press that little button and tell me you think. Please Read & Review (and a fav is always nice and I really appreciate it).)**_

* * *

The next day at school, Danny was in the zone. Having now gotten his priorities straightened out, he looked forward to gym most of all, so that he could train for the battles ahead. Ever since Troxel, the gym teacher, began teaching him Krav Maga over a year ago, he had progressed into an athlete in his own right.

Finally, after English with Lancer, he went to the locker room and changed into his training duds. Double checking his protective gear, Danny climbed into the ring. "Okay, Danny-boy," said Troxel, "No holds barred, no time limit, full contact."

"Like always," said Danny with a nod. He charged at Troxel, and subsequently found himself kicked three times and knocked on his ass.

"You're getting sloppy, Fenton," said the gym teacher with a sad shake of his head, "You could barely take on Dash and his goons, for Chrissake!"

"Perhaps," said Danny, "but I could do it." Quick as lightning, he swept his legs toward Troxel's. Just as Troxel jumped to avoid them, Danny rolled under him and hit him with enough force to knock him out of the ring.

"Very good, Daniel," said Troxel, removing his gear, "You've been practicing. That long-term feint was brilliant."

"I only wish everything else was as easy," said Danny, more to himself than to Troxel.

"What's wrong?" asked Troxel. Danny's silence told him that it was something big, "You can tell me anything, Danny."

For a minute, Danny considered telling him anything. He had never felt right about keeping his mentor in the dark after all Troxel had done for him, but the fewer people that knew about his alter ego, the better. Suddenly, however, a fiery explosion ripped through the school's north side.

"Danny," said Troxel quickly, "Follow me. I know a way – " He turned to see that Danny had completely vanished.

* * *

Danny ran, quickly and quietly, making sure he was alone before going ghost. A steam of luminescent blue gas appeared every time he exhaled, indicating a powerful ghost presence. The vibrations in his skull from this one were . . . oddly familiar.

"Whoever it is," said Danny, "at least I know I've fought him before." Turning intangible, he flew through the roof to face this ghost. And he got the shock of his life.

"Hello, whelp," said Skulker, "I've made some upgrades since we last fought."

"Skulker?" said Danny, caught completely off-guard, "This isn't possible. I saw you destroy yourself."

"Not quite, ghost-child," said Skulker smugly, "I merely shed my robotic armor so that my frail, inner body could escape. Now that King Pariah has given me new, more powerful armor, I shall have my revenge."

Suddenly, there was the sound of a phone ringing. Danny pulled out his cell and said, "_Jazz, eu sou um pouco ocupado agora. Apenas esteja perto com o QuikClot e o negativo de O. Eu estou falando o português assim que meu oponente não saberá o que eu estou dizendo. O que ele importa?! Sim, eu pegararei o leite no repouso da maneira. Adeus!_"

Danny ducked by mere centimeter as Skulker fired a massive energy ball at him. Danny countered by firing back at him. Skulker spiraled toward the ground, but managed to correct his flight pattern. Danny flew to the ground and stood in a defensive stance, ready to engage him.

"Give up now, whelp," snarled Skulker, his voice rising maniacally, "Pariah Dark has given me power beyond anything I had before! You haven't got a CHANCE against me now!"

Skulker's armor opened to reveal a variety of weapons. Machine guns, grenades, surface-to-air rockets, lasers, even miniature ICBMs! And he began directing all of it toward Danny. Danny quickly surrounded himself with an ectoplasmic forcefield.

_My shield is holding,_ thought Danny as he gritted his teeth, _but the strain is unbelievable! Can the Ghost King really be so invincible that he can afford to let his subordinates be this strong?_ He began to feel fluid running across his lips, and Danny knew that his nose was bleeding. Suddenly, his ghost sense went off. Turning inside the shield, he saw a small man, then his world went black.

* * *

Danny screamed as he became conscious, the searing heat of a red-hot fireplace poker being pressed against his chest. He felt as thought he had been beaten viscously. As his vision cleared, he noticed that he was strapped to a chair in a dungeon-like room, the short man holding the poker and Skulker and Miss Spectra standing by the door.

"Don't bother trying to change form, Daniel," said Spectra as she slinked closer, "You've been injected with a genetic paralyzer to make sure those nasty powers of yours don't interfere."

"Why are you doing this?" asked Danny, staring at her through swollen black eyes. She had always been one of his favorite teachers, always been so nice to him.

"It's simply a case of backing the winning horse, Danny," she replied, holding his chin in her hand, "When King Pariah rules this world and the next, I'd rather be at his side than in his path."

With that, she kissed him and left the room. Skulker looked at the short man and said, "Continue to have your fun, Bertrand, but make sure that Daniel Fenton is **alive** when I return. I'll finish him off myself."

"You got it boss," replied Bertrand as Skulker left, "But not too alive, right?" Bertrand walked over to a table and put on a pair of disposable rubber gloves.

"I mean," he said, grabbing a power drill, "you don't exactly need kneecaps to stay alive, right?"

Danny glared and spat blood at Bertrand's face. "Fuck you, asshole," he sneered.

"Oh, yes," said Bertrand, putting down the power drill, "'Fuck you,' 'Fuck me,' 'Fuck this,' 'Fuck that.' Why is everything got to be 'fuck' with teenagers these days?" He went back to the table and picked up an electric eggbeater.

"I think," said Bertrand, plugging it in, "that kids today just like the word a little too much. Well, maybe you won't care to say it so much if you can no longer perform the act." He turned it onto its highest setting and pointed it at Danny's crotch.

* * *

_**(A/N: Don't get me wrong; I like a short, sweet review as much as the next guy, but if ya'll could just follow this link and read it before you review, I'd be a very happy man. Replace the words in parentheses with their corresponding keyboard symbol:**_

_**http(colon)/cordria(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/How-To-Leave-a-Review-82562960**_

_**All reviews and favs are appreciated.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	12. The Fenton Menace

_**(A/N: First, I would like to apologize to all of you for an error I made last chapter. I posted this link:**_

_**http(colon)/greenifyme(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/Zutara-Analysis-and-Prediction-72980165**_

_**When my intention was to post THIS link:**_

_**http(colon)/cordria(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/How-To-Leave-a-Review-82562960**_

_**I've since corrected the error in the last chapter. Please Read & Review.)**_

* * *

Bertrand grabbed Danny's hair and yanked his head back so he would be forced to watch the liquidation of his male member. "Say 'goodbye' to your little friend, Fenton," said Bertrand as he revved the eggbeater, "I hope that he at least got to see the world once before he dies."

But just as Bertrand readied his arm for the thrust, his whole body seemed to go limp and he fell forward. Standing in the doorway was a figure dressed in a red outfit with a gun raised.

"You alright?" asked the figure. Danny was certain that it was a female voice. He grunted a positive reply. She took a small laser and cut his shackles.

"Thanks," said Danny as he staggered to his feet. His legs were weak, but at least he could still stand.

"Why were they keeping you here?" asked the woman, who had not lowered her weapon more than an inch.

"I don't know," lied Danny smoothly, "Something about my parents. They're ghost-hunters – "

"I'm aware," said the woman, "You're Danny Fenton. Your parents are somewhat famous around town. Or maybe I should say _infamous_."

"And what about you?" asked Danny, wiping blood off his chin, "Are you with the Guys in White?"

"No," she said, "I'm freelance. Hey, did they inject you with anything? Truth serums, pain-enhancing drugs, sedatives?"

"I don't know," said Danny, "but I don't think so." She reached into a pouch at her belt and withdrew a blue combipen. She stuck into Danny's mid-neck jugular.

"What was that?" asked Danny, jumping back.

"An all-purpose antitoxin," replied the woman, "Better safe than sorry. If they put anything into you, that stuff will flush it out." She helped him to walk outside. The sun was setting, meaning that he had been kidnapped at least four hours ago. The woman pressed a button on her wrist watch, causing a flying surfboard to appear.

"Wait," said Danny, grabbing her arm, "Who are you?"

She turned to him and said, "I'm someone who wants to see certain bad people suffer." She then stepped on her board and flew away.

* * *

As soon as Danny got home, he called Tucker and Sam and told them to come over. A little later, as Jazz treated his injuries, he explained what had happened. After talking about potential battle plans, Danny asked Tucker, "Anything come up in your search for the Key?"

Tucker shook his head and said, "It was last seen some time around the 16th century. It was in the possession of N'Kantu, the king of the Swarili, a tribe in northern Africa. He used it to open portals to the spirit world and commune with the gods."

"Northern Africa?" asked Danny. Tucker nodded, and Danny's eyes fell, as if he was deep in thought. Finally, he asked, "What did your research say about the other Items of Eternity?"

"Not much," replied Tucker, going through his PDA, "There was nothing at all about the Crown, and unless the Ring is combined with it, it has almost no power of its own. Except that it grants one the power of retrocognition."

"What's that?" asked Sam.

"The opposite of precognition, which is future-sight" said Jazz, "The ability to psychically view events that occurred in the past." Danny stood up abruptly and walked briskly down the hall to his room. Opening one of his loose floorboards, he took out the ring.

"Danny," asked Sam, "what are you doing?"

Without further explanation, Danny slid the Ring of Rage onto his right hand.

* * *

Deep within the manifold chambers of the White Tower, the entities known as the Observants began to feel a great disturbance in the universe's energy fields. The flux was so great that the first Observant dropped his cane and fell to his knees.

"What – what's happening to us?" wheezed the 2nd, his shaved head drenched in sweat.

"Isn't it obvious?" asked a voice from behind them, "Danny Phantom has put on the Ring of Rage in the hopes that it will lead him to find the key before Pariah's minions can."

"But that," gasped the 3rd Observant, "that will bring the Key out in the open. If the Ghost King's minions get ahold of it . . ."

The figure behind them stepped out of the shadows, their master Clockwork. "Rise, my Observants," he commanded. Struggling against their own pain, they obeyed as he said, "The time has finally come for us all to take a more active part in the events that now unfold in Amity Park. If the Silver Centurion is to recognize his destiny, the natural way of things must be accelerated."

"We shall obey, my lord," panted the 1st Observant, still reeling from the terrible seizure that had just gripped him and his fellows. The 3rd unslung his guitar and weakly played a small chord. The three of them disappeared in a brief flash of light.

_God save us all,_ thought Clockwork earnestly.

* * *

_**(A/N: I know it may seem like I've been pussyfooting around, but don't worry; everything will soon come to a head. Please Review.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	13. What You Want

_**(A/N: Sorry that this took me longer than the others, but I got distracted by a great idea that I've been putting a lot of thought into. I'll run it by you guys another time. Now, please enjoy the next chapter of DOP. Please Read & Review.)**_

* * *

Danny felt as though he was being sucked through a vacuum. He was surrounded by flashing lights, each representing a different scene in time. Concentrating hard, Danny found what he was looking for: the definitive moments in the history of the Items of Eternity after Pariah's downfall. Stepping into one, he found himself on a battlefield with hundreds of dead knights. Looking about, he saw two regal figures staring at each other with hate in their eyes. Astride their horses, they charged at each other with lances.

_What does this have to do with the Items of Eternity?_ thought Danny. He leapt aside as the horsemen drove their lances into each other's shield. Stepping off their horses, they drew their swords.

"Vile dog," said one with a British accent, "You have destroyed my kingdom and my knights, but you shall not destroy me!"

The other replied in an oily voice, "Even if I fail, _Father_, I will still have watched the ending of all that you hold dear. In a way, victory is still mine."

The two fought for what seemed like hours, but Danny noticed something: The British king's sword had a gleaming band around the handgrip. Just as Danny was pulled back into the flow of time, he realized that it was the crown, shrunken to smaller size!

He next found himself at a magnificent funeral. The pope himself was overseeing the interment, and the mourners spoke in what sounded like German. Danny looked at the body as the pallbearers carried it to the tomb. He also noticed that a small street urchin removed a ring of greenish metal from the dead man's hand. It was the Ring of Rage!

Once more, Danny was pulled from the scene. This time was on another field of battle, a melee of European soldiers fighting Africans and Arabs. Danny looked toward the sunrise and saw a magnificently dressed prince holding a key above his head. The key began to glow, and the prince shouted in horror as he disappeared.

_Who ARE these people?_ thought Danny, _They had the Items, but where are they now?_ Suddenly, the answer came to him! Quickly Danny removed the ring from his finger.

* * *

Freakshow sat on the floor of his room, deep in meditation. The dark red globe that enabled him to control ghosts rested in his lap as tried to divine answers from the cosmos. Where was the Key? Why could Lord Pariah not sense it? And why hadn't General Skulker been able to kill a mere boy? Opening a box of pills, he popped several of them into his mouth and swallowed. His studies into sorcery had taught how to make drugs that could boost the speed and efficiency of his mind, even expanding his consciousness. He began to see vague visions, and within his mind he heard the sounds of battle.

"Blast," he said under his breath, "I cannot divine the correct answers." In his frustration, he took a handful of the pills and swallowed them all. With a loud gasp, he began to convulse. Visions came to him so fast that he was unable to process them, and Freakshow felt that he would go insane. Finally, one vision became clearer than the rest: Pariah Dark, wearing the Crown of Fire and the Ring of Rage, standing atop his castle, directing all of his armies toward the human realm!

"Freakshow," said Lydia from the door, "My love, what are you – " she was cut off by the sight of him lying on his stomach, projectile vomiting.

Rushing to his side, she heard him say, "I – I have seen – " before he slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

"_Kelkaj serioza plenigi estas okazi_," said Wulf, bristling. Walker looked up from his desk to see Wulf pacing agitatedly.

"Calm yourself, Wulf," said Walker, "The prisoners have been trained into an efficient fighting force. The armies of Pariah Dark will be repelled if it must come to blows."

"_Vi estas super-konfidema, Walker_," said Wulf, "_Se Pariah Dark estas libera, ne ciu la militistaros en tio ci mondo au ia alia povas halti lin._"

"As long as Pariah's forces don't have the Key," said Walker, exasperated, "he'll remain in the Sarcophagus. And as long as he doesn't have the Ring, he won't be at full power."

Suddenly, both of them began to feel strange, as though something in the universe wasn't quite right.

"_Mi scii tio ci sento_," whispered Wulf, "_Mi havi ne felto tia dolori de tiu tempo – _"

"I know, Wulf," said Walker, "It's _Him_."

Deep within the Ghost Zone, existing in the opposite spectrum of the White Tower, in the infernal land known as Pariah's Keep, the Ghost King remained in his imposed stasis. But even so trapped, his spirit had lost none of its potency.

_My minions have failed in their task_, thought Pariah to himself, _Even Skulker, most powerful of them, has been unable to find the Items of Eternity and slay the Silver Centurion. The time has come to unleash my left hand._

With a thought, another tomb in depths of Pariah's Keep began to shake and shiver, until finally it burst open, revealing a knight dressed in hellish armor.

"I LIVE!" roared the knight in a sonorous voice.

_To serve ME_, said a voice in the Fright Knight's head.

"My lord," said the Fright Knight, "command me and I shall do your will."

"Go forth," said Pariah, his voice reverberating all around the Keep, "Destroy my enemies. Bring me the Key and the Ring."

* * *

_**(A/N: Sorry for the shortness. I'm also sorry that I won't be able to update for a while, but my wife and I are renewing our vows tomorrow, and we'll be on our second honeymoon in Mexico for about 2 weeks. Please Review.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	14. Arma Virumque Cano

_**(A/N: Greetings from Idaho! We decided to come home a few days early. Well people, all good things must come to an end. Only a few more chapters before "Day of Pariah" is over, and then the 3**__**rd**__** movie shall begin. I don't know what to call it yet, because I don't want to call it "The Ultimate Enemy." Ah well, it'll come to me in time. Please Read & Review.)**_

* * *

"Danny," sighed Jazz, "why exactly are we digging through the basement, again?" They'd all been down for almost half an hour while Danny searched. For what, he hadn't yet said.

"Ah-ha!" yelled Danny, suddenly. He reached into a box picked out a statue of Dom Sebastião, a family relic.

"Danny, don't tell me that THIS is what you were searching for," said Jazz, this time angrily, "It's really great that you believe in Sebastianism so deeply, it really is; but some dead Portuguese king is not going to come back to life and – "

Danny took the statue and smashed it against the wall. Among the pieces was a golden key with the infinity symbol on the handgrip.

"The Cosmic Skeleton Key," said Sam, picking it up, "How did you know it was here?"

Danny smiled with pride and said, "The first two Items were found attached to statues of kings who had become legends. The Crown adorned King Arthur's sword, and the Ring was worn by Frederick I, the Holy Roman Emperor, a.k.a. Frederick Barbarossa. When I put on the Ring, I could see the Items' pasts. It was during my vision of the key that I found myself in Morocco, where Dom Sebastião disappeared. Why? He misused the key, and it lead to his destruction."

* * *

The Observants sat on a building across from Fenton Works, waiting for something, anything, unusual to happen. Suddenly, Number 2 stood up and said, "Anybody else feel their little red flag goin' up?"

"Only when I picture Christina Ricci in high heels and a leather miniskirt," said Number 3 with a smirk.

"Have you no shame?" said Number 1 with disgust, "She's less than one-tenth your age!"

"Hey," snapped Number 2, "Let's be serious for a minute. I sense something . . ."

"You're just gettin' paranoid in your old age," said Number 3, absently strumming his guitar.

A loud, sinister laugh echoed through the night, causing the hair on the backs of their necks to stand on end. The north wall of Fenton Works suddenly exploded, and a massive shadow, roaring with triumphant laughter, soared off into the night.

"Go, go, go!" yelled Number 1, directing the others toward the Fentons' lab.

* * *

Jazz woke up on a strange room. _What the Hell happened?_ she thought to herself.

"It's a long story," said a deep, sage voice from behind her, "but I suspect that the ending will be recorded in the annals of history before long."

Jazz looked up and saw a blue-skinned ghost wrapped in a purple cloak.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am Clockwork," he replied, "Ghost Master of Time and Space. You are in my _sanctum sanctorum_, the White Tower, on the out fringe of space-time."

"Where's my brother and his friends?" asked Jazz, suddenly remembering them.

"They're just fine, Jazz Fenton," said Clockwork, holding up his hand, "Come with me."

She followed him down a long corridor, which led to more corridors. As Jazz walked, she stared at the various wonders held within the room. She wondered what sort of being would actually live in a place like this. Finally, they reached a large antechamber with a huge crystal ball set against one of the walls. Standing next to it was Danny, with Sam and Tucker on the other side.

"Jazz!" said Danny, rushing over and hugging her.

"What the hell happened to the house?" asked Jazz, looking through the crystal. She saw three beings rebuilding it at super-fast speed.

"It was destroyed by the Fright Knight," said Clockwork, "the spirit of Halloween. He is Pariah Dark's most loyal and powerful servant. And now, he has the three Items of Eternity."

"So, that's it," said Danny, resignedly, "We're done for."

"Not quite," said Clockwork with a thin smile, "We still have our cosmic wild card. The Silver Centurion."

"Who is this Silver Centurion guy?" asked Sam. Clockwork smiled and raised his eyebrow in the direction of Danny.

"Me?!" said Danny, stepping back, "I'm not some kind of all powerful, world-saving warrior! I'm just a kid – "

"Who happens to have ghost powers?" said Clockwork with a smirk, "You do realize that the one does not necessarily preclude the other? Daniel, throughout history, there have been ordinary people who were born to perform extraordinary services to mankind. They never asked for this responsibility, and some have even tried to run from it, fearing that they were inadequate. But in the end, they do what needs to be done. Sometimes, all it takes is that knowledge that, to me, they've already done it."

"But I'm not powerful enough to take on Pariah Dark," said Danny, "I can barely take on some of his minions."

Clockwork simply waved his hand and said, "You haven't read the prophecy, so you don't know. Danny, you have within you all the power you will ever need. It just needs the correct catalyst to be unlocked. One of your television shows, _Dragon Ball Z_, has the right idea concerning hidden power."

Clockwork floated over to a table and removed a cloth from on top of it. Spread out upon the table were various weapons.

"These are the weapons of warriors long dead," said Clockwork, "and only one of them will transform you into the Silver Centurion."

"Which one?" asked Danny.

"I can't tell you that," said Clockwork, "You must decide for yourself. If you are truly the Silver Centurion, you already know."

Danny walked over and saw the weapons that lay before him. There was the Blue Blade of Zhao Yun; Durendal, the sword of Roland; Gram, the sword of Sigurd; Azoth, the sword of Paracelsus; and, most impressive of all, Krishna's Sudarshana Chakra. For a long time, Danny moved his hand across each of them, trying to figure out which one felt different from all the others. Suddenly, one of them felt colder than the others. It was almost . . . familiar.

"I think this is the one," said Danny out loud, "but I feel unsure."

"Danny," said Sam, holding his other hand tightly, "just believe in yourself."

"We're all here to stand by you," said Tucker, clapping him on the shoulder, "no matter what happens."

Danny took a deep, steadying breath and said, "Okay. I choose THIS ONE!!"

* * *

Back at Pariah's Keep, the evil city seemed to come alive with living shadows and monsters as the Fright Knight ascended the steps to the temple which housed the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep. Enchanted braziers filled with hellfire as he walked by. Finally, he reached the Sarcophagus.

"_Mighty demon, heed us, thy supplicants!_" chanted the spirit-shadows as they danced around the tomb. The Fright Knight raised the Soul-Shredder, his enchanted weapon, and the throng went silent.

"Be still, faithful ones," he said in a sonorous tone, "For the last 3,000 years, this place has been preserved for this moment! No trace of the unbelieving world has dared to set foot inside these hallowed walls! Distantly, from across time and space, I have gathered you who worship as I do. Our triumph is at hand!"

He placed the Crown of Fire and the Ring of Rage upon a bloodstained altar. He used the Soul-Shredder to cut through the cobwebs on the Sarcophagus until he could see the keyhole. He then raised the Cosmic Skeleton Key for all to see.

"Hear us, O Ghost King," said the Fright Knight, "With this, the Cosmic Skeleton Key, we free you from your imprisonment, that you may stand amongst us once more!" And then he unceremoniously placed the Key into the lock.

An explosion of black light rippled from within, and a tanned, muscular hand slowly reached out. Using the side of the coffin for leverage, the Ghost King raised himself for the first time since the days of King David.

The Fright Knight fell to his knees and said, "My lord, finally you have awakened."

Pariah said nothing. He merely waved his hand, opening a viewing portal to Earth. Seeing the planet that he had once tried to conquer, he felt the familiar rush of adrenaline that always came when a conquest was about to begin. He chuckled darkly and said, "The world is mine."

* * *

_**(A/N: I know the middle part is a little weak, but it gets better. Ember's final song next chapter. Please Review.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	15. Reign Storm

_**(A/N: I may not be able to update for a while, as The Poisoned Doughnut of DOOM and I are collaborating on a project that will require my attention. However, there's not many chapters left, so I hope you are all willing to be as patient as you have been thus far. Please Read & Review.)**_

* * *

Ember sat, shivering in her cell. Her wispy blue-black hair fell around her tear-streaked face as she cuddled her guitar, hoping to find some warmth in the object. But it was cold, just as it had always been cold. Try as she might, she could stop reliving that fateful moment.

_Skulker was dragging her by her hair across the stone floor. Needles of pain shot through her sensitive scalp as he threw her bodily into this dark dungeon. _

"_You have failed Lord Pariah for the last time," he said, almost mockingly, "And now you will rot in this dank pit until it pleases him to release you. That is, IF it pleases him to release you."_

"_Please," she had begged, throwing herself upon his feet, "I did everything I could. I served him faithfully – "_

"_And you failed to meet your obligations," snarled Skulker, kicking her in the teeth, "Have a nice afterlife, Ember." And he stalked out, leaving her with only her guitar and her faint, implausible hope._

As she began to cry again, Ember picked up her guitar and focused all of her remaining power into it. And she began to sing.

_I tried to kill the pain, but only brought more (so much more). I lay dying, and I'm pouring crimson regret and betrayal. I'm dying, praying, bleeding and screaming. Am I too lost to be saved? Am I too lost?_

* * *

With only a moment's hesitation, Danny reached down and grabbed Durendal. At first, he felt nothing, and worried that he had chosen the wrong weapon. But suddenly, an overwhelming warmth began to flow from the weapon into his body, establishing a connection as intimate as the one he'd felt with Sam on the night of their first kiss.

"You have chosen well, Silver Centurion," said a deep voice behind them. Jazz, Tucker, and Sam looked to see the Observants, gazing at Danny almost reverently. Danny was now glowing with a brilliant white aura, as though Heaven itself was being reborn inside of him.

"Transform, Daniel," said Clockwork, "Transform and the let the power flow."

Danny let out an almost inhuman cry as he changed to his ghost form. Not so much a cry of pain, but more like a birth-cry, a baby taking its first breath of air. This time, Danny did not appear in his usual jet-and-silver outfit. Instead, he was now a 6 foot tall man dressed in splendid armor, appearing to be a cross of Roman legionnaire, European knight, and Persian warrior. It was complete with a magnificent helmet that hid his features, and a shimmering cape that seemed to exist in all colors of the visible spectrum at once.

Finally, after watching him in silence, Jazz took a few steps toward him and said, "Danny?"

The Silver Centurion shook his head and said, "I am every warrior that has ever fought an impossible enemy. I am Roland, Krishna, Sigurd, Turnus, and Achilles. I am the Silver Centurion, and I will win the war that Pariah wages in an attempt to destroy this world."

_My God, my tourniquet; return to me salvation! My God, my tourniquet; return to me salvation._

* * *

Freakshow woke up with a hangover that would impress Robert Downy Jr. At first, he could see almost nothing through his bloodshot eyes, but he could eventually make out the shape of Lydia's sensuous body. He groaned slightly to get Lydia's attention.

"Frederick?" she asked, looking at him. He gave a slight nod to acknowledge that he was (barely) conscious, and she rushed over to him, catching his lips in a hungry kiss despite the sour taste of vomit in his mouth.

"Frederick," she said to him when she finally pulled away, "What the Hell were you thinking? Taking that many pills at one time could - should - have killed you! How could you be so stupid?!"

Freakshow swung his legs over the side of his bed and attempted, wobbily, to stand. He managed, but had to lean on his staff to remain so. "It doesn't matter now," said Freakshow to Lydia, "I've seen the future. Lord Pariah has been freed, and his armies will march upon the world this very night. He can't be stopped now!"

The tent was suddenly filled with light as a portal opened in the center of the room. The Silver Centurion stepped out of it and looked at Freakshow.

"I know who you are," said Freakshow, raising his crystal ball, "but it makes little difference. The Ghost King cannot be stopped. Not even by the Silver Centurion."

The Silver Centurion did not reply. He merely pointed a finger at Freakshow. His orb began to shake and glow, as if its molecular structure was being massively excited. Suddenly, it exploded into millions of tiny shards of glass, piercing Freakshow's face and body. While nothing was seriously injuries, he would be hideously scarred for the rest of his life. With a nonchalant motion, he also trapped Lydia in the Fenton Thermos. "We shall see," said the Silver Centurion, "Frederick Isaac Showenhower."

He stalked out of the tent, leaving Freakshow to lick his wounds in the consuming darkness.

_Do you remember me, lost for so long? Will you be on the other side, or will you forget me? I'm dying, praying, bleeding and screaming. Am I too lost to be saved? Am I too lost?_

* * *

Back in her underground headquarters, Valerie worked with Mel and her father to discover the source of the Ghost Zone tremors.

"They seem to be centering around the area known as Pariah's Keep," said Mel, "The legendary resting site of the Ghost King."

"If that's true, then we are royally ass-fucked," said Val, looking at the figures.

"Watch your language, Val," said Damien's, raising his digital eyebrow. A shining white portal opened in the middle of the room, and the Silver Centurion stepped out. Raising Durendal, he froze time in the room, allowing only their ears and eyes to function.

"Do not worry about Pariah and his armies," he said, "I have my own army to face him. You just concentrate on nailing Freakshow."

He withdrew a large manilla folder from under his arm and said, "This has enough indisputable evidence to put Freakshow behind bars for 9 life sentences." With that, he unfroze them and left.

_My God, my tourniquet; return to me salvation! My God, my tourniquet; return to me salvation . . ._ _I want to die!!_

* * *

"Well, Wulf," said Walker, "It's been a great few centuries. I've never told you this, but you're my best friend." They stood on a high bluff, watching their army prepare to intercept the Ghost King's army.

"_Walker, resti rilate al la kondamni kortusecos_," said Wulf, chuckling in spite of himself.

"Are you ready to march?" asked the Silver Centurion from behind them.

"We are," said Walker, "What's the plan?"

"I fly off now, to vanquish the Ghost King," said the Silver Centurion, "Wait one hour, then attack his armies." And with that, he flew off at breakneck speed toward Pariah's Keep.

"Godspeed, my friend," said Wulf quietly.

_My God, my tourniquet; return to me salvation! My God, my tourniquet; return to me salvation. my wounds cry for the grave_; _my soul cries for deliverance_; _will I be denied? Christ, tourniquet, my suicide . . ._

* * *

_**(A/N: Well, the climax approaches. Please Review.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	16. Fright Night

_**(A/N: Let me start off by saying that I am very sorry for taking so long. I've had a parapsychology report, a timeline of **__**The Great Gatsby**__**, a dissertation on my family tree, the dissection of a fetal pig, assignments from my student ambassador organization, several final tests, and tons of homework to keep me from writing this. I'm sorry that it has to be something of a filler, but the real climax will take time, and after I'm done with this I promised The Poisoned Doughnut of DOOM that I'd write her a short screenplay for her movie. If you're still reading, God bless you. Please R & R.)**_

**The White Tower -** http(colon)/snowskadi(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/White-Tower-69872081

**Pariah's Keep -** http(colon)/alexiuss(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/Adamant-Citadel-77366935

* * *

The Silver Centurion stood on the ledge that overlooked Pariah's keep. Though he had fought such battles in many past lives, the part of him that was still Danny Fenton made him feel twinges of fear and doubt. He fingered Durendal's golden hilt to give him courage.

_Well,_ thought Danny, regaining control for a minute, _the fate of the whole universe rests on my shoulders. Can I really do this?_ His heart began to falter, and he wanted nothing more than to fly off into the Ghost Zone and forget about everything. But then, he felt something rubbing against his inner thigh. Reaching into one of the folds of his armor, he withdrew the ring that he repeatedly tried to give to Sam. Everything that he had ever felt for her came flowing back. It was then that he realized that he couldn't run away, nor had he ever really wanted to.

"I'm coming for you, Pariah Dark," said the Silver Centurion, once again taking control, "and all your hordes will not stop me. Prepare to be cast back into whatever hell spawned you." Leaping from his perch, the Silver Centurion began to fly toward the accursed castle. A million shadows suddenly took the form of skeletal ghosts, all wearing battle armor. He drew Durendal from its scabbard and hefted the mighty weapon. Channeling his ghost power into it, he sent out a wave of pure light, destroying a thousand ghosts with one swing.

"These powers are unbelievable," said Danny, deep within the Centurion's subconscious. He quickly formed an ectoplasmic energy in hands, aiming for the new wave of ghoulish soldiers. To his surprise, the beam was several times wider and went many times farther than he intended.

After that, the battle really began. The Silver Centurion hacked down dozens of Pariah's foot soldiers with each slash, but twice as many took their place! His power was vast, but soon he began to feel tired, and he had not advanced toward the castle more than 10 feet. Suddenly, a portal opened in the middle of the battlefield, and Wulf and Walker jumped out, leading their troops.

"_Antauen, al venko!_" said Wulf, tearing apart the skeletons with his huge claws. He then looked to the Silver Centurion and said, "_Vojiri!_"

"I cannot leave you here," said the Silver Centurion.

"Friend," said Wulf, "We will meet again. Now go, destroy Pariah. We will hold off his armies." The Centurion looked back at him, then pushed his way through the doors of the castle.

* * *

Pariah sat in his throne room, watching the events unfolding within his inner eyes. Opening his outer ones, he said to the Fright Knight, "The Silver Centurion has broken through the first line."

The Fright Knight gripped the Soul Shredder as if in fear and said, "Shall I unleash the Scorpion Men upon him, my liege?"

"No," said the Ghost King, "Let us see how well he fairs against Cujo before summoning them. And then, if he should be so lucky or so skilled as to triumph over my Scorpion Men, he shall not make it past Aragon and Dorothea."

* * *

_**(A/N: Okay, just a few more chapters and we're done. Please Review.)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	17. Battle Royale

_****_

(A/N: I know that they say it's bad luck to write more than one chapter in a short span, but I'm going for it because I can't afford to lose my momentum. The Climax is here! Please Read and, most importantly of all, Review. And for those of you who haven't had a chance to try out the cordria review technique, I invite you to give it a try. BTW, the Silver Centurion's voice will be dubbed by Kevin Conroy.)

http(colon)/cordria(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/How-To-Leave-a-Review-82562960

* * *

The Silver Centurion ripped through the enormous wood and metal door as if it were paper. "Can you hear me, Pariah Dark," he yelled, "Can you hear my approach?!" Finally smashing it down, he found himself inside a vast, taiga-like forest.

"My lord," said the Silver Centurion, "What kind of place is this?" He heard a loud rustling coming his way. Quickly, he drew Durendal and held it out in front of him, ready for anything. Or, so he thought. A tiny green puppy stepped out of the underbrush, gave a small bark, and looked up at the Silver Centurion with big eyes.

"Well, hello there," he said, leaning down and rubbing the dog's head, "What's a cute little fellow like you doing in a place like this?"

The puppy suddenly transformed into a massive, snarling dog, with huge jaws, razor-sharp teeth, and four glowing red eyes. With a bloodcurdling howl, it leapt upon the Silver Centurion and snapped viciously at his throat. The Centurion held it back, but the beast's strength was incredible!

"Okay," said the Silver Centurion, "You wanna play rough?! Okay! Say 'hello' to my little friend!" He thrust Durendal upward, burying the blade in the dog's chest up to the hilt. The beast lurched off of him and tried to run, but its eyes glazed over and it fell, mortally wounded.

The Centurion rose, withdrew the blade, and wiped his sword on his cape. He then began hacking his way through the forest.

* * *

Meanwhile, Pariah sat in his throne room, resting his head in his hand, mentally following the Centurion's path.

"Cujo has been slain, my lord," said the Fright Knight.

"I know, Fright Knight," said Pariah, "Unleash the Scorpion Men."

The Silver Centurion strode out of the forest into a vast desert. All that he could see for miles was white sand, a boiling hot sun, and some ruins that looked vaguely Sumarian. He decided that it was wiser to fly rather than walk through the desert, so he took off at full speed.

_This is too easy,_ he thought to himself. A few seconds later, a series of chains shot out of the sand, wrapping around his arms and legs. He smashed the chains, though not before he hit the ground. From beneath the sand leapt five enormous men. But these were no ordinary men. From the waist down, they had the bodies, legs, claws, and tails of scorpions. All of them held weapons in their human hands.

Quickly, the Centurion snatched Durendal from the sand and slashed into the first monster, severing its human half from its scorpion half. Another thrust a spear at him, but he grabbed it and continued it into the third's chest. The second one tried to stab him with his stinger, but the Centurion caught it and thrust it into the scorpion man's back.

The final two scorpion men burrowed into the sand, running away in fear. "Pathetic what passes for guardians, these days," said the Silver Centurion.

* * *

After flying over the desert for what seemed like hours, the Silver Centurion came to the most foreboding landscape of all: A field of active volcanoes. He began to levitate into flying position, but something told him to simply walk the path this time. He kept a tight grip on Durendal and began the trek up the side of one of the volcanoes. The winding path eventually lead to an opening in the fiery mountain.

"Here it is," said the Centurion to himself, "the path to Pariah Dark's throne room." He entered the opening, and was almost immediately overtaken by the intense heat. Quickly, he surrounded himself with an ectoplasmic shield and continued walking. He was halfway across the bridge that spanned the pool of lava when the whole volcano began to rumble and shake.

The Centurion feared an eruption, but soon realized that it was something much worse: The two massive dragon statues that stood on opposite sides of the door to the throne were beginning to crack open, revealing enormous dragons! One black in color, the other blue.

* * *

"Aragon and Dorathea have been awakened, my liege," said the Fright Knight, "Even the Silver Centurion will not find it easy to defeat your monstrous pets."

"It is almost regrettable," said the Ghost King, "I had looked forward to a worthy battle with a worthy foe."

Suddenly, the wall which separated the throne room from the volcano exploded. The Ghost King protected himself from the debris by conjuring a shield, and the Fright Knight swatted incoming stone with the Soul Shredder. As the dust cleared, The two dragons stepped into the chamber, their necks bound with chains of ectoplasm. Floating above them was the Silver Centurion!

"Pariah Dark," he said, his voice dropping a full octave, "At last we meet."

"You are quite skilled to be able to defeat all of my guards," replied Pariah, "but your journey has ended. None have faced Pariah Dark in combat and lived." With an almost inhuman roar, the Ghost King began to transform. His skin became as hard and grey as stone, his height increased to nearly 12 feet, black armor began to cover his whole body, and his voice became deeper and more snarling. A five-foot mace appeared in his hand, the head boasting six razor-sharp, angular blades.

"Fright Knight," said the Ghost King, "Go out and lead my armies on the front line. Ravage the human world, and tell my warriors a tale of victory!"

The Fright Knight disappeared, leaving the Ghost King and the Silver Centurion alone. The Centurion drew Durendal, light reflecting off the gleaming blade.

"Feeling a little ragged around the edges, boy?" asked Pariah. The Centurion was indeed tired, but he said nothing and gave no indication. Once the battle started, Pariah would never allow him to stop and rest, no matter how badly his lungs burned and his heart ached.

"Enough repartee," said the Centurion, "You've threatened the cosmic homeostasis, and Clockwork has charged me to return you to your dreamless slumber."

"Clockwork," spat Pariah, his voiced filled with a mixture of amusement and venom, "That senile old man? I suppose that he never told you that I was a student of his." This caught the Centurion off-guard, and he momentarily lowered his sword.

"Oh yes," continued the Ghost King, "After death failed to take me and I awoke in this dimension, Clockwork and the other Amaranthine found me and taught me their secret arts, hoping that they could guide me away from my natural instincts. And in truth, after a decade of study, I did stray from the pure path and onto the disgusting road of _peace_, but I remembered the truth after I discovered the Crown of Fire and the Ring of Rage. There can be no higher calling than war, and conquest. Nothing else can truly matter. We as humans find our fulfillment in strife, and the victory that comes from war is the greatest of this fulfilment. Those blind fools, so set in their ways, could not share in my vision. So, when I amassed my armies and prepared to conquer the Ghost Zone, only they were able to stand in my way. I didn't think for a minute that they could stop me, and thus I made the mistake of meeting them in battle without planning. My last mistake. I found myself trapped in the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep for the next several thousand years."

Pariah sat on his throne before he continued, "However, though my physical form was impaired, my spirt had lost none of its potency. After a few decades of marshaling my mental energies, I finally made contact with mind willing to be molded to my leadership."

"Freakshow," said Danny, slipping through the Centurion's consciousness.

"Indeed," replied the Ghost King, "He and his thrall were particularly easy to convert to my plans. The one called Skulker was also quickly seduced by the power I offered him, and even the minstrel was persuaded, once I fed her ego to the correct degree. It is most unfortunate for her that she failed . . ."

* * *

Back on the field of battle, the ghosts under Walker and Wulf were finally beginning to gain an advantage over Pariah's troops.

"_Ni estas bati ilin_," said Wulf, observing the battle from above.

"Maybe," replied Walker, "but it won't amount to squat unless Phantom takes down the Ghost King."

Suddenly, a high-pitched, terrifying screech echoed from the battlefield as the Fright Knight descended from the sky. Swinging his sword with abandon, every being cut by it fell to the ground in a heap, tormented endlessly by their own worse fears.

* * *

"So tell me now, ghost-child," said Pariah, "You know the truth. Are you prepared to take advantage of it?"

"What do you mean?" asked the Centurion, nervously holding Durendal.

"We are the mightiest warriors in the universe, boy," said Pariah, rising from his throne, "If we were to unite, we would be capable of even destroying Clockwork and his ilk. Imagine it: A massive, transdimensional campaign. Our soldiers have fought for days without rest, but they have finally won. The sounds of trumpets will call out, and all will know, the lords of the Ghost Zone have come. Now, will you join me?"

The Centurion once again began to feel himself conflicting with Danny Fenton. He was thoroughly tempted by what the Ghost King was offering, but Danny refused to have any of it. Such a life would be a cursed life, with the blood of millions on his hands. The Centurion realized that he was right. But did he have enough power to defeat the Ghost King? Then, Danny spoke the words that would define the battle: _You can't ever give up. It doesn't matter whose more powerful. What matters is who wants it more. Remember what drives you!_

"NEVER!" roared the Silver Centurion. Cupping his hands, he launched a resplendent energy blast at Pariah. Pariah quickly raised a shield, but he was still forced back by the intensity of the beam.

"Foolish boy," snarled the Ghost King, "You have sealed your doom!" Pariah lunged at the Centurion, mace in hand, but the Centurion blocked with Durendal.

"Your end is now," said the Centurion, armor glowing, "Your time has come!" The glowing grew brighter, and suddenly he split into four beings, just as he had seen Vlad do a year before. They all trained their ghost rays on Pariah Dark and released.

"Your puny powers are laughable," said the Ghost King. With an explosion of power, he eradicated one of the copies and rose into the air. The other three regrouped, and charged at Pariah with their swords, but he was too skilled with his mace, and parried them, even managing to destroy another clone.

"He's too strong," said one Centurion to the other. The second shook his head and whispered a plan into his ear, evoking a sense of fear in the first, "No! You'll be killed!" But he was insistent, and they knew what had to be done.

* * *

"FORWARD," shouted the Fright Knight to Pariah's armies, "We have them on the run!" But he was suddenly rocked out of the sky as an ectoplasmic energy blast ripped through his hellish mount.

"Your time has come, punk," snarled Walker, fists glowing.

"You believe that YOU can stop me, infidel?" asked the Fright Knight, laughing as he formed an ectoplasmic meteor in his hand.

"No," replied Walker, "but HE can." The sound of a frightful roar caused the Fright Knight to turn, and the last thing he saw was Wulf jumping upon him, claws unsheathed and fangs beared.

* * *

"Give up now, Silver Centurion," said Pariah, standing over a weak but unbowed Centurion, "Even by quadrupling your power, you have failed. Beg me for mercy, and perhaps I may spare your life."

"I have but one thing to say to you, Lord Pariah," said the Centurion, "NOW!" His last remaining clone jumped up behind the Ghost King and wrapped him in a bear hug. The real Centurion lunged up with Durendal and thrust it deep into Pariah.

A huge vacuum seemed open around the Ghost King, and all across the Ghost Zone his servants lost power and fell to the ground. Though the copy of the Centurion was injured, he was still able to help the original force Pariah in the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep.

"I shall return!" roared Pariah as the Cosmic Skeleton Key was turned in the lock.

"Don't count on it, shithead," said the Centurion as his clone dissipated. He then fell to the ground and lapsed into unconsciousness.

* * *

_**(A/N: Was it exciting? I think so. Was the last part anticlimactic? Probably. Will the next part foreshadow the next movie? Probably not, but you never know. Please Review!)**_

TO BE CONTINUED.


	18. Hail to the Conquering Hero

_**(A/N: All good things must come to an end. But hey, I'm almost ready to start writing the third movie. It's based on "The Ultimate Enemy," but I'd rather think up an original title, like I did for this one. Please Read and Review.)**_

* * *

_He flew above the streets, waving to his legions of screaming fans, for today had been declared Danny Phantom Day by the mayor, in honor of the greatest superhero in the world. He finally flew down to city hall and walked up to the podium to deliver his speech._

"_People of Amity Park," said Danny, "I cannot thank you enough for this honor. It was a labor of love to protect you from the Ghost King."_

_The mayor stood up and took the microphone. "Let's all give a cheer for our hero, Danny Phantom! Hip-hip, Wake up! Hip-hip, wake up!"_

"Wake up, Daniel," said Clockwork, standing over his sleeping form. Danny opened his eyes and found himself on a cot back in the White Tower.

"Clockwork," said Danny, rubbing his head, "What happened?"

"You defeated Pariah Dark," said Clockwork, "and his armies have been routed. The Earth and the Ghost Zone have returned to harmony. You have done well, Daniel."

Danny sat up, and got his first good look at Clockwork since waking up. He almost gasped when he saw him: Clockwork was no longer as young and strapping as he had been a day before. Now, he was emaciated and decrepit with age, a long white beard jutting from his chin.

"Clockwork," said Danny, "what's happened to you?"

Clockwork chuckled and replied, "The circle of life has happened. Quite literally. You see, Danny, time doesn't just move forward for me like it does for everyone else. For me, it moves forward, backward, up, down, diagonally, and in every conceivable direction, all at once."

"I don't understand," said Danny.

"And I don't expect you to," said Clockwork, "Most of the world's most brilliant scientists will never be able to understand it. Eventually, to return to the point, my physical form will grow too old to maintain structural integrity, and I will be reborn again, in an endless cycle that has gone on since the Big Bang. And now, Danny, it is time for you to go."

Danny was about to ask why, but Clockwork suddenly pressed a button on his staff and Danny found himself in his living room with Jazz, Tucker, and Sam.

"What just happened?" asked Tucker, looking around confusedly.

"I wish I knew," said Jazz, "One minute, we're in Clockwork's tower, and the next, we're home."

* * *

It wasn't until the next day that Danny found out that someone had told the people of the city what had transpired. Now, Danny Phantom was being hailed as a hero by the people of Amity Park. Not that it changed Danny, of course.

One night the week after, Danny was walking with Sam down the street.

"So Danny," said Sam, holding his arm and resting her head on his shoulder, "How does it feel to be a real superhero now?"

"It feels good, Sam," replied Danny, "I feel like I've upgraded from Spider-Man to Fantastic Four-level popularity. Which actually makes this a perfect time to give you this."

Danny reached into his pocket and took out the small case. Opening it, he showed Sam the ring.

"Sam," he said _sotto voce_, "I love you. I've loved you since the day I met you. And I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Sam, this promise ring is a symbol of my undying devotion. Will you do me the honor of someday becoming my bride?"

Sam looked so flustered that she could barely speak. "Oh, Danny," she said, "Oh, Danny. I - I - I . . . Yes!" She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, causing him to eagerly return.

* * *

Danny and Jazz sat on the couch, watching the newest TV show on ABC: _George Lopez: Rescue Nanny 9-Juan-Juan_.

"Hello," said Danny in a Mexican accent, "My name is George Lopez, and I'll star in anything, no matter how stupid, for money."

Jazz laughed as the sound of an RV pulling up reached their ears.

"Kids, we're home," said Jack, entering, followed by Maddie.

"Anything eventful happen while we were gone?" asked Maddie.

"Nope," said Danny, eyes flashing green, "Not a thing."

* * *

**Soundtrack**

1.) Pour Some Sugar On Me (Extended Dance Remix) - Def Leppard

2.) War - Edwin Starr

3.) Tourniquet - Evanescence

4.) Haunted - Evanescence

5.) Bossman - Lucky Boys Confusion

6.) Can't Fight This Feeling - REO Speedwagon

7.) RemEmber - Robin Kimissel

8.) Cherry Pie - Warrant

* * *

_**(A/N: Well, onto the next fic. Please Review.)**_

FINIS


End file.
